Prayer of the Refugee
by Vincent.V
Summary: Sakura's heart has been broken and it seems nothing can heal it. But there are two sides to every coin, and the man that broke her is suffering just as much as she is as he fights to save her from being consumed by the sins of his past...
1. The Dark

Prayer of the Refugee

Chapter 1

The dark

A/N- Hello my wonderful and adoring fans! It's here at last! The sequel to Eyes of the Devil! I missed writing it. I tried to write for my other works, but I got so damn bored with them. I named this fic for a Rise Against song, by the way, and I don't own said song.

Anyway, this picks up seven months after Takashi left Konoha to train for his destined battle with Kaitsu, and the world has changed.

In a shocking move, Hitsuya separated from the village and regained its status as a republic. As a result, tensions between the Hidden leaf and Hidden mist villages have almost doubled.

Also, rumors are spreading in Hitsuya of a possible coup against the new government. In light of said rumors, the Hitsuya government has almost doubled its military's activity, stationing the majority of its small forces within the city walls to maintain peace.

The world is on a hair trigger, and the slightest wrong move could trigger a war that could ravage all three villages.

The only one who can stop it… has disappeared…

NOW ON WITH THE SEQUEL TO EYES OF THE DEVIL! PRAYER OF THE REFUGEE!

Disclaimer- All standard disclaimers apply; I own none of the characters other than those I obviously created.

Warning: There is some explicit gore in this chap, not bad, but still gory. Don't read if you have a weak stomach.

It was dark. And it was warm. Well, the cave they were in was warm. Outside was a tempest of cold, wet, rain.

Sakura sat by the fire, her legs pulled close to her chest, her arms wrapped around them as her head rested on her knees.

Her former sensei turned teammate, Kakashi Hatake was lounging against the cave wall, content to read his book by the firelight as the world outside was ripped apart by nature's fury.

"Inubo should be back soon…" He said in an airy, happy-go-lucky voice. He frowned at Sakura's continued silence. "Come now Sakura, you must eat." He said, pushing the small box of rice towards her. Sakura looked at it through blank eyes.

She weakly picked up the chopsticks and ate slowly.

Kakashi sighed.

It had been seven months since Takashi disappeared. She handled it well, for the first few months, but something, he had no idea what, had snapped within her wounded heart, and she fell into a deep depression. Everyone close to her had done their best to try and lift the darkness from her, but nothing worked. If anything, it made her worse.

She'd gotten a little better a month ago, when Tsunade had ordered them to locate the renegade Uchiha and bring him back. A little of the light had return to her eyes then, but now… now they were as empty and lifeless as before. All because of that rumor…

A few weeks back word had reached them on the road that there were rumors that Takashi Uchiha had been caught and executed for reentering Hitsuya.

Inubo had gone ahead to asses the situation in the village. Kakashi sighed. All three nations, Hitsuya, Mist, and Konoha were on the verge of war. It looked like another great war would erupt. If any of the three went to war, one or the others allies would join in, and it would be a world war worse than anything ever seen in the world.

"Sakura, we'll find him. I promise." He said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She turned and weakly pushed his hand away.

He sighed. She hadn't spoken in months. Well, she'd spoken long enough to demand to come on this mission, but aside from that, the only emotion the young Haruno showed was when she cried herself to sleep. It happened so rarely that Kakashi still tried to console her when she did, but to no avail. Her heart was broken, and nothing could heal it. Well… almost nothing…

Inubo came around the corner of the deep cavern, soaking wet and grumbling about the storm.

"What's the situation?" Kakashi asked seriously as Sakura rolled over in her sleeping bag, instantly falling asleep thanks to his genjutsu. He used it on her a lot, knowing that if he didn't she wouldn't sleep until her body forced her to.

"Well…" Inubo began heavily. He sat down beside Kakashi, his arms folded behind his head. "Matatsuma's been assassinated."

"What?" Kakashi said, or gasped, more like. He turned his hardened gaze away from Inubo. "That's great… Who's in power now?"

"No one is in charge. The senate is currently running things, but they're swamped. I'm telling you, if there was a coup in the works, now would be the perfect time." Inubo said grimly.

"Anything on Takashi?"

"Eei. The only thing I could gather was that wherever he is, he's still alive."

"Really?"

"Hai; apparently a few key ex-members of the Matatsuma factions have been in contact with him, just barely, they don't know where he is, but they know he's alive and in training, somewhere within the city or just outside."

"Good." Kakashi mumbled. "She's needed some good news…" He whispered grimly, looking over at Sakura's sleeping form.

"She's still not talking?"

"No, not a word."

The two sat in silence for a while.

"Well, we may have to scrap this mission." Inubo said darkly.

"Why?"

"There's a man in Hitsuya attempting to convince the Senate to give him emergency powers over the state."

"I knew Kaitsu was gutsy, but this is a little too gutsy, even for him."

"It's not Kaitsu… At least I don't think it is. But I'm pretty sure if it isn't him himself then whoever it is, they're probably in his pocket."

"Sakura said Kaitsu had given him one year to train before their battle. It's only been a little over seven months. Why is he making such a drastic move now?"

"I don't know… but whatever it is… it's not gonna be good. Kaitsu loves war. He thinks it's the only reason he exists. Dear god!" Inubo said, sitting up in startling realization. "What if this coup… Matatsuma's choice to make Hitsuya a republic again… the rumors that Takashi was dead…"

"What are you getting at?"

"Maybe Kaitsu is purposely trying to raise the tension between the three villages? Maybe he wants to start another great war…"

"Well… it does seem to fit. He thinks like Orochimaru. All he wants is to cause war."

"Except Orochimaru only wanted to watch… Kaitsu wants to be right in the middle of the bloodshed. His twisted existence is only possible through blood." Inubo finished darkly.

"Let's get some sleep… We can decide what to do tomorrow." Kakashi mumbled after a long pause. The copy ninja stood and busied him self with setting out his things, trying to will the dark thoughts from his mind.

Inubo had first watch, so he doused the fire and took his place at the mouth of the cave, his Byakugan activating.

He sighed. Tomorrow would be a long day…

If he only knew…

Her muscles were tensed; ready to propel her body in an attack. The patrol was close. Almost too close. If any of them spotted her slinking in the shadows of the cave mouth, there would almost certainly be a battle.

She brushed a stray strand of hair from her eyes, cursing herself for letting it grow over the past few months. She needed to be completely alert.

She made no move, didn't even breath as they drew closer. Battle was all she had left, and she'd grown _very_ proficient at it.

She felt Kakashi and Inubo behind her; just as ready as she. Just as poised to kill.

They passed silently at first. Only at first.

One, an average man at the back, looked in her direction. At first a fleeting glance, his vision snapped back, studying the dark cave with suspecting eyes.

"Capitan!" He called. The group halted and Sakura could feel, as far away as they were; the collective tension that arose within the group.

"What is it Watari?" A pompous looking man called.

"I don't know. I think there might be something…" He began, but never finished. She'd barely heard Kakashi's almost silent order to attack. Now she was mere inches from the man. Poor bastard never had a chance.

Sakura grimaced as she felt his skull crack under the force of her blow. She was an expert at inflicting pain: contusions, shattered limbs, internal injury. She could inflict them all.

Blood sprayed from the throat of a man struck down by Kakashi. His preferred weapon wasn't his fists, but merely a trusty kunai knife.

Inubo stuck to the gentle fist, quickly dispatching his enemies.

Sakura spun, swinging her arm and catching a man in the jaw. She growled as she felt his jaw crumble. He spun away, but she wasn't going to let him off that easy. To maintain secrecy, every one of them had to die. She pulled out a kunai knife, easily kicking another member of the patrol away. She sidestepped, narrowly dodging a barrage of shuriken. So there was a shinobi with them.

Jumping back, she spun on the blood slick grass, slashing the man whose jaw she'd broken stomach open. He cried out as his intestine spilled out with a sickening squelching noise.

With a flick of her wrist she sent the kunai flying into another warriors head, sending the poor woman to the ground, blood gushing from the eye the kunai had buried itself in.

She dove forward at the shinobi before her. Sakura charged her chakra into her fist and swung.

The shinobi before her barely dodged, her eyes widening in shock of her opponents power.

Sakura spun, delivering a roundhouse to her opponent's ribs, satisfied at the sickening crunch.

Sakura could tell from the blood spilling from the poor woman's lips that she'd pierced a lung with her kick. She would drown in her blood.

Sakura turned and her blood ran cold.

Another shinobi was mere inches from her, kunai poised to cut her throat.

"SAKURA! MOVE!"

She spun out of the way. Kakashi was mere seconds behind her, leaping forward with his signature juutsu alight in his hand.

"LIGHTNING BLADE!"

The attack pierced the man's chest straight through the heart.

Kakashi slammed him to the ground. Blood sprayed him as he removed his hand from the man's chest.

Sakura turned to see Inubo coming towards them. The shinobi he'd slain was lying slumped against a tree, a massive hole in his torso. She had to fight the urge to vomit as blood and other fluid flowed from the wound, along with pieces of organs and tissues. The revolting scent of death was in the air.

She leaned against a tree as she vomited. It was mostly bile, burning at her throat. She pulled a piece of a bandage from her pouch and wiped her mouth.

Turning slowly, she looked over to Kakashi. He was kneeling above the man who'd died by his chidori. He ran his hand down the man's face, closing his eyes.

"We need to leave." He said darkly.

"Yeah. We should find somewhere to law low until nightfall."

Sakura blindly followed her teammates, not really caring where they were going. Her mind was still in shock from the carnage she'd just caused. Well, not shock, more like revulsion at what she'd done. She hated fighting, but she knew coming here and fighting was the only way she'd ever get a chance to see him again…

It was dark again. They were moving quickly though the thinning forest.

Sakura smiled slightly as she thanked god that Hitsuya had no real boundary walls.

Still, it would be extremely hard to infiltrate the main city.

As if on cue, the main city came into view.

"Move quickly and stay alert. Once we get past the wall, we'll probably have enemy all over us, so we'll have to get to the warehouse quickly." Inubo whispered as they took cover in the trees. He'd managed to find an abandoned warehouse where they could take cover for the night.

"Alright… let's move."

They leaped from the trees, moving with perfect harmony as they ran.

Kakashi threw kunai with paper bombs attached to their left. They would provide a sufficient distraction while they penetrated the boundary.

The wall wasn't that high, and Sakura leapt over it with ease. Unfortunately, not all the guards were gone.

They yelled for back up just as the trio descended on them, like an ominous warning of the death to come.

They cried out, screamed, begged as the three tore through their ranks. There was no other option. To ensure their survival, all must die.

As per their luck, their enemy's screams and cries had reached the ears of the forces drawn to the explosion. Yells and orders called to subordinates filled the air as they looked on upon their fallen comrades and the three covered in their blood.

"Kill them!" came the order and the men roared, drawing their blades. They all wore the same uniform: white gi and black hakama. Sakura recognized the clothing.

Sanjiro wore the same thing. So these were his comrades.

Sakura grimaced. If they shared his power; well… It was going to be one hell of a night.

They charged and Inubo stepped in front of her, pushing her back. Sakura's eyes grew wide with anger but she shrank back as she felt his chakra massing around him.

"So…" He growled. "You want a battle? Then I'll show you true power!"

He formed an array of hand-seals and held his left arm before him.

"Now. Face my juutsu. Ninja art, chakra manifestation, Angel's Right Hand!"

Like lighting chakra bolted in his hand. It twisted and converged, slowly taking shape.

The form solidified, forming a black longbow rimmed with crimson in his hand. It was long, almost as large as he was tall. In fact, if it were set down, it would probably be only a foot shorter.

The strange thing was that even though it was obviously a bow, it had no string, and had no arc in it. The oddest thing about it was the small ring, as if attached to a drawstring, where an arrow would normally rest, waiting to be drawn.

"Now. Behold the power of my Angel Strike!" He said as he hooked his finger through the ring and pulled. A bolt of chakra formed as he pulled, shining in the dark evening.

Sakura gasped as Inubo released the arrow.

A bright flash of blue chakra blinded her. The sound of rushing air filled her ears as the arrow blasted forth, its sheer power ripping the ground beneath it apart.

It blasted through the enemy's ranks, easily slaughtering a good third of them.

But more were coming, and even for Inubo's great power, that arrow drained a third of his chakra. Continued use of his Angel's Right Hand technique would drain his chakra too fast.

Growling, Inubo activated his Sharingan and smirked.

"Now, how do you like this? Rapid fire shot!" He growled. In less than thirty seconds he fired off three arrows, less powerful than before, but even more destructive as they ripped into the enemy's ranks.

Kakashi knew Inubo couldn't keep this up for long. He was busy aiding Sakura in beating down the men foolish enough to try and attack them from behind. Blood covered the ground.

Sakura cried out a she was struck from behind.

"Sakura!" Kakashi yelled and he dove forward, catching the pink haired teenager just before she hit the ground. Inubo spun and released more chakra arrows, striking down the men about to decapitate Kakashi.

Sakura's eyes were closed tight, her teeth gritted in pain. The wound wasn't that deep: a simple slash wound, it could've been much worse, but it still hurt like hell.

This wasn't good. Kakashi knew it. Inubo fell to his knees, his bow disappearing into the air.

"My chakra's too low. I might have to use… that…" he thought weakly.

"No… Not yet…" Sakura whispered aloud.

As shocked as he was to hear her speak, Kakashi focused his energy into fighting off the now overwhelming horde of enemies.

It was useless. Sakura was fighting again, and even though they were holding their own, there were too many, even for them. Other shinobi had now joined in the battle, and it was all they could do to stay alive.

Kakashi was sent to the ground first, followed by Inubo. Sakura was sent slamming into a wall.

"No…" She whispered weakly. Her tone suddenly deepened to a growl as she rose, chakra pooling in her fist. "You guys are really starting to piss me off!" She yelled, slamming her fist into the ground and blasting the stone apart. A massive crater appeared before her, and any man unfortunate enough to be caught in the blast was sent flying.

Her energy was gone. Her legs felt like lead, and just as they gave way, she whispered something. She didn't know why his name rolled from her lips. She'd called to him, late at night, tears staining her beautiful face, but he never came. Why did she expect him to now?

"Takashi… please… help me…"

Soft rain fell on her as she fell, her head tilted backwards, looking up at the sky. She vaguely recognized Kakashi calling to her.

Her knees hit the ground.

"Takashi…" she whispered. It was over. She'd never see him again….

A scream pierced the night air, and all was still as that same terrible cold overcame them all.

Her eyes grew wide.

"IT'S HIM!"

Men staggered to look. On the roof, near yards away, a body fell to the ground. Blood fell like rain from above. A flash of steel shone in the night as he swung the blade, the small remnants of blood and bone falling from the cold steel.

The mist seemed to lighten as the cold grew. He appeared from the dark, his blade flashing, golden eyes shining in the moonlight.

"Sakura."

A/N- Yay! He's back bitches! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Prayer of the Refugee! God I've wanted to write it for so long! Oh, and before I forget, I know I had Inubo use both the Sharingan and the Byakugan, but that will be explained later. And for any of you that didn't get Inubo's attack, think of Uryu from Bleach, because that's where I got the idea. And thank you to my readers! I love you people!

Please review!


	2. The Broken soul

Prayer of the Refugee

Chapter 2

The broken soul

AN- Hello my wonderful readers! Here is chapter two. Another gore warning and a surprise guest character! Can you guess who it is? Well, I'll give you a hint. This story is based off of his. Good luck. PS- I hinted at who it was at the beginning of the first chapter of Eyes of the Devil!

Disclaimer- I own none of the character other than those I created, obviously.

* * *

"Sakura…"

Her heart stopped. It was really him.

He stood there, the glow of the full moon lighting his features. He wore white gi, starkly contrasting the darkness of the night. It hung loosely on his thin frame, and was opened slightly in the front, showing off his ripped chest and abs.

On his wrists he wore dark blue swordsmen's gloves. Matching hakama, the same shade of dark blue, was on his legs. They were fitted tighter than most hakama, and about two inches longer, but didn't restrict his movements. Black shinobi boots adorned his feet.

A black obi (cloth belt) was around his waist. Draped through it on his side was the shining black sheath to his sword and a wakizashi. It mirrored his sword, from what she remembered: dark blue grip, same guard design, the same black sheath. He still wore his shuriken holster strapped to his right leg.

Of course he looked the same; his bangs were a few inches longer, and hung in his eyes.

She shuddered as her eyes locked with his, as far away as he was. She felt that familiar warmth spreading through her. She welcomed it like a long lost friend, resigning to beat the hell out of him and then proceed to fuck his brains out.

His gaze left her and he studied their surroundings.

The mass of enemy, Kakashi and Inubo down; this wasn't good.

And Sakura… She was hurt. Because she'd come here for him. Rage coursed through him.

"Why are you all quaking? It's just one man. Kill him then kill the others!" A rather bold shinobi yelled, but was silenced at the glares of his comrades.

"Don't you get it? That's the Demon of the Shadows! He'll kill us all!"

"Fools…" Takashi muttered.

"Demon! Why are you here? These people mean nothing to you!"

"Wrong. The woman you sliced is my love." He said darkly as he saw the blood dripping from his blade.

Inubo had done a number on them. From the brutally dismembered bodies, bits of flesh lying here and there, and decimated buildings he guessed Inubo had used his Angel's Right Hand technique.

The men were horrified at his words. A few cocky shinobi stood. One of them jumped up to the roof next to Takashi.

"So what if she's your bitch? We'll…"

"Bad move." Kakashi whispered as the man's body came crashing down, rent clean in half.

Takashi had a few flecks of blood here and there on his body. He growled. Swinging his blade to clean the excess blood away, he disappeared.

A scream from behind one of the masses of warriors caught their attention. They scattered, and Takashi growled at how cowardly they were.

Almost a hundred men to four shinobi; their cowardice disgusted him.

"Now you all die." He growled before shooting forward, using his incredible speed to slice down the men.

Sakura looked on in horrified amazement as he glided through the men. His grace with a sword was incredible yet terrible to behold. Blood, bit's of bone, limbs, chunks of flesh; all were left in his wake as he destroyed those foolish enough to attempt to kill her.

Blood sprayed, falling like rain as he went.

Screams echoed in the night as he quickly dispatched almost fifty of them, each swing of his sword sending three of them to the afterlife.

He slid to a halt a few yards in front of her. He turned, not even glancing at her as he swung the blade to get rid of the bits of flesh and bone and splashes of blood on the cold steel.

His clothes were soaked with blood, and it was matted in his hair and dripping down his body. Sakura was shocked as she saw the man she loved. He really was a demon.

He growled at the remaining forces, most had scattered, running for their lives. How could one man be so incredibly powerful?

It seemed unreal to her that the one who'd caused so much carnage was her Takashi.

He turned back and Sakura saw his eyes were molten gold, Sharingan spinning menacingly.

"Sakura. Get Inubo and Kakashi out of here!" He barked before surging forward at the remaining enemy. They would all die for hurting Sakura, _his_ Sakura.

Sakura swallowed hard. His eyes. They'd scared her, but they, for some reason she didn't know, aroused her. His sheer strength… God, it was terrifying.

She did as he said and grabbed her teammates. Inubo could move by himself, but Kakashi was injured badly. His left leg was slashed deeply; hot blood seeped from the wound.

Inubo carried the wounded copy ninja as they leaped through the seemingly endless field of fallen men, blood, twisted limbs and deformed bodies.

Sakura knew as soon as they could stop she'd vomit.

She heard Takashi yell something and was almost knocked off her feet. She turned and her jaw dropped.

A black tornado, fiercer and more terrible than any natural cyclone, made of black wind; had enveloped the buildings, ripping them apart and destroying everything in its wake. It didn't move, and as suddenly as the great cyclone had appeared, it was gone.

Sakura gasped while Inubo growled.

"Why did he use that? Now they'll be all over us!" He growled as they returned to their flight.

* * *

Takashi stood alone in the center of the field of destruction caused by his juutsu, his sword now sheathed.

His eyes remained the same molten gold as he looked up into the dark clouds, some still spinning in the after-affect of his juutsu. Rain spilled from the heavy cloud. He growled and he loosened his shoulders, allowing the rain to drench him. To wash away all the blood that covered his body.

He grimaced. So she'd really come for him. This was exactly what he was trying to prevent. Why did she follow him? He left to protect her damn it!

The sound of men running was growing louder.

"Reinforcements." He muttered before launching himself to the nearest rooftop (which was a good fifty feet). He spared one look back, in the direction his love had gone. She'd have to forgive him for not coming straight to her. He had to get the reinforcements off their tails.

He started off, running into the darkness.

"Sakura…"

* * *

He sat huddled under his black cloak, as he'd done in the cave the night before. A fire would give away their position, so they had to try and keep warm without it.

Inubo shivered violently, sneezing.

"Damn cold." He muttered angrily.

Kakashi grunted in pain.

"Sit still." Sakura barked. She was trying to stitch up the very deep wound to Kakashi's left leg. But it wasn't going well, and Kakashi had lost too much blood as it was. If he continued to bleed, he would die before the sun rose.

Sweat beaded from her forehead as she pooled her chakra and pushed it out of her body and into the wound. The bleeding slowed, but still wouldn't stop.

"Damn…" She muttered as she made a few choice hand-seals. Blue flames surrounded the young kunoichi's hands as she placed them over her friend's wound. Kakashi's teeth gritted on reflex and he growled in pain as she pumped blue flames into the wound.

She grimaced. His cells were regenerating, but he'd be down for a few days at least days. None of them had expected that many people to show up. And he was there…

Why did he come? Why did he come to her after he broke her heart?

* * *

Takashi slowly entered the dark room. It was an almost claustrophobically small apartment, fit for only one man.

He knew this place well. It was here that he lived during the revolution. It seemed that he was forever doomed to return to this place.

His body ached. As powerful as he was, he had been training when he sensed her. His body was completely exhausted. He walked over to the small table. He wearily removed his sword and Wakizashi, allowing them to fall to the floor.

He wearily pulled his gi down from his shoulders. More than sixty men had died by his blade that night, and he didn't have a scratch on him.

His torso was exposed now, his gi hanging loosely from his waist. Sighing, he removed his kunai holster. One hand rose to rub at his sore neck.

He was in shock at seeing her. Why here, of all places, why did she have to come here? Exactly where he didn't want her to be! He left to protect her, didn't she understand that?

He growled menacingly as he completely stripped. The only thing keeping him from being completely exposed was the black cotton boxers clinging loosely to his waist.

Collapsing weakly onto the futon with a grunt, he closed his eyes, praying not to be haunted by the visions of his past or bloody premonitions of the future.

* * *

The sun shone brightly in Sakura's eyes as she stepped out into the dull morning light.

She brushed the short, dark bangs back from her eyes. She smirked at the thought of her rather impressive genjutsu work.

She was now a six inches shorter and had short black hair and blue eyes. Although she was confident in her genjutsu abilities, there were a very large number of skilled shinobi within the city right now, and she'd have to constantly exert small amounts of chakra to maintain her appearance. Not to mention she'd left all weapons back at the warehouse.

She smirked as she padded the gloves stashed in the bag she wore on her shoulder. If it came down to it, this was all she need.

Still, if she ran into even a few shinobi things could go bad. Inubo had assured her that the disguise was so thorough that nothing short of Sharingan could penetrate it, but she was still wary of open combat.

She headed off to the store. She decided to pass herself of as a nurse in training- the perfect disguise to buy the medical supplies they direly needed.

* * *

Takashi sat wearily on the roof in nothing but his hakama, his sword resting by his side.

He looked around. His sensei would have to forgive him. He had to see her, if only to tell her to return to Konoha. This was no place for her, especially with the war.

Oh yes, the war had already begun, though on a more diplomatic level, blood was already spilling. People had already attempted to hire him for assassinations, but he refused. He would fight in the open, and for the good of the people and only for the people.

He grimaced as these thoughts ran through his head. He stood and leaped from the roof, gracefully tucking his blade into his belt as he went, his gi held in his hand.

* * *

Sakura was heading down a back alley, a bag of medicinal products hanging by her side.

Her senses strained. It had taken longer than expected to find somewhere to buy the supplies, especially when she had to duck guards and patrols everywhere she went.

The afternoon was waning and evening was descending upon her, and a patrol was due in the area. She had to avoid combat at all costs. She dipped down another alley and quickened her pace.

* * *

Hey flew across the rooftops, swinging his blade, blood flying off. Stupid guards. Did they really think they could stop him from finding her?

He felt her. She was exerting chakra in small amounts. A disguise he decided. A wise choice on her part.

He halted on a low rooftop as his Sharingan spun into life as he scanned the crowds below from the shadows. Thankfully for him, evening was gripping the city. It was unnerving, even after all these years, how many places were hidden by shadow in the evening.

"Plenty of places to strike from." He thought with a grim smile.

His senses flared as the chakra flow he'd been sensing disappeared suddenly. Too sudden to be death, he knew that. She must have returned to where they were hiding. He sighed.

"Well…" He began as he began to seemingly melt into the shadows. "I guess I should get back to my training. Be safe Sakura."

With those final words, he disappeared with the soft breeze, his godlike speed propelling him.

* * *

The sun had set and Sakura was looking directly at the spot he'd just been standing at. He'd been right there.

She'd felt him following her, but was scared to talk to him. She'd felt his presence on her, even greater than those around her who shivered at the cold he brought.

Why was that dark aura still surrounding him? What had changed in him? Why would he want to stay in that monstrous form?

* * *

Takashi walked solemnly down the trail, completely expecting his master to bring his full wrath down on him.

He looked up from the path to see his master waiting on the rock he always sat on, eyes closed, and a mildly annoyed expression on his face. He had a sword clutched to his chest, almost mirroring the way Takashi sat when he slept upright.

His sensei's mass of crimson hair blocked most of his face from view. He was clothed in a light red gi, white hakama, and straw sandals.

"Himura-sensei." Takashi whispered respectfully as he stood before his master.

His sensei's eyes snapped open, shinning amber. They softened to a dull violet as he saw his student standing before him.

"You're late." He said in an annoyed, yet happy voice.

"Gomen-nasai." (A/n- it means I'm sorry in Japanese. Gomen is the slang term)

"No apology is necessary. I know why you are late. Is it true that your Sakura has come for you?" He said in a knowing tone.

"How did… You know what? I'm not even gonna ask." Takashi said in a sarcastic yet respectful tone as he took a seat beside his master on the stone. "Hai, it's true."

"If she loves you as much as you say, did you really expect her not to come?"

"I don't know." Takashi said, shivering slightly. He was still cold from when his master's aura flared earlier. As powerful as Takashi was, his sensei's aura had always made his blood run cold.

His master had a darker side, and just as he, he was known by another name. It's hard to believe, but his master was the man known as the greatest swordsmen to ever live, master of the Nine Dragons style, Battousai Himura, the infamous demon assassin.

Oddly enough, for all his power, his sensei wasn't a shinobi. He considered himself samurai, a class that had died out over five hundred years ago. The samurai were once as powerful as the shinobi are today. Hundreds of different styles were used back then, now the only style from that era was the one his sensei had mastered: the Nine Dragons of Chaos, by its proper name.

"Takashi, there is something I must tell you, but before I do, we must go over one final lesson." His sensei said as he stood.

"What?" Takashi asked, his curiosity peaked. His sensei had decided to get him to regain the power he once had, he would have to get a crash course in his original training.

"Today we must revisit one of our first lessons." He said as he walked out into the field. It was a full moon and their forms were given a demonic looking glow as they took their positions, facing each other down. "Do you remember?"

"Yes. To die in battle is noble, but to die protecting the ones you love is a death all warriors should strive for." Takashi said, this particular lesson burned into his memory. Now it served as his mantra.

"You do have an impeccable memory, but today we'll add to it." His master said. His tone deepened and his eyes bleed amber as his hand gripped the hilt of his blade.

Takashi mimicked his actions, gripping his blade as his eyes bleed golden.

"What is there to add?"

His master disappeared, and the sound of clashing steel rang out in the night as the two's blades clashed.

Moving at inhuman speeds they battled, blades shinning in the moonlight.

"To use one's power for protecting others, to die in the attempt is noble, but for what you must do, we must change this philosophy."

"What do I need to do?" Takashi asked as he spun to dodge his masters thrust, striking back by swinging his kattana upwards in a vertical slash. Battousai dodged, the blades tip coming shockingly close to his left eye.

"Takashi, do you understand what it means to protect?" His master asked coolly as he spun, swinging his blade.

Takashi used his speed to dodge the attack, disappearing and reappearing above his sensei.

"Ryutsuisen!" He yelled as he brought his blade down with incredible force.

His master, with speed beyond even Takashi's easily dodged the attack by stepping back quickly.

"Do you?" His master asked again more forcefully as he lunged forward, his blade clashing with Takashi's and pushing him back, their blades locked together near the hilt, both attempting to use their bodyweight to suppress the other.

"Yes." Takashi grunted. "To protect is to preserve something."

"No." His sensei growled, winning the battle for supremacy and sending Takashi sliding backwards.

"What?" he growled as he slid to a halt, hunched down to preserve balance.

His master disappeared and appeared mere inches behind him.

"To protect, Takashi, is to be prepared to give your life for something, to be completely ready to sacrifice everything for that one thing's survival. Can you do that?"

Takashi disappeared as Battousai struck and reappeared behind him, his blade sheathed for a battoujutsu strike.

He drew his blade at a godlike speed, but his sensei blocked the attack, though it sent him sliding backwards.

Takashi stood up straight, his blade held before him at a slight angle to his left, his left hand gripping the sheath.

"Yes. I would give my life to protect Sakura."

"Yes, I know." Battousai said as he entered a stance Takashi himself used countless times.

He was low to the ground, his knees bent to propel him, his body hunched down, the dull edge of his blade resting in the crook of his shoulder, his right arm pinning his left.

This stance allowed him to give himself an extra boost as he moved, allowing him to attack at almost double his normal speed. The position of his arms allowed him to compensate for any attack quickly and effectively as he moved, so he didn't have to slow down. This stance was the perfect stance for a master of high speed kenjutsu.

"But, in this battle death is not an option. You must know you can defeat an enemy. I taught you to be confident, not arrogant, and you've followed this lesson well. But to defeat Kaitsu, you must _know_ you can win, not just think it. And to think you're ready now would be suicide."

Battousai moved, his speed surpassing Takashi's as he struck, but Takashi's stance allowed him to counter, managing to stop the lethal blow, but being sent flying by the sheer power of the attack.

Takashi slammed into the ground, and slide. He back-flipped and regained his balance. Only to slam into Battousai, who was now standing behind him.

His sensei grabbed him by the throat and sent him flying.

Takashi grunted as he slammed to the ground, rolling at least fifty feet.

He stood and his master appeared a few feet before him, a look of dead seriousness on his face.

"And for me to allow you to face him as you are now, even though you've regained the power you once had, would be insane."

"So what are you saying, sensei?" Takashi said as he stood and regained his stance.

"I'm saying that in your condition, you can never defeat Kaitsu. There is only one way."

"What?"

Battousai entered the same stance as Takashi.

"To defeat him, you must master the Nine Dragons of Chaos style." He said darkly as he ready for attack. "And to truly be a master of the style, you must defeat me."

Takashi's jaw dropped. His master wanted to fight him?

"Is there no other way?"

"None."

Takashi was at war with himself. Could he really attack his master for real?

"Sensei… Are you sure? I will not hesitate to go all out against you." He said weakly.

"I'm positive, but this is a battle for another day." He said as he sheathed his sword. His aura retracted instantly as his hand left the blade, and he was slightly overwhelmed by his student's. "To think he's really this powerful. I might have underestimated him."

Takashi sighed and sheathed his blade after Battousai had sheathed his.

"Takashi." His master said after they'd walked in silence back to the road.

"Yes sensei?"

"From this day on, I consider you my equal. You no longer need to call me sensei." He said seriously, the smiled. "Now, I've got to go home before Kaoru kills me." He said, smiling as he turned and started down the opposite side of the road.

Takashi smiled. He remembered Battousai's wife. She was a kind and beautiful woman.

He felt a pang of regret as he realized how much the Himura family had done for him. Battousai had been his teacher, his father after the massacre, taught him everything he knew about kenjutsu, about honor. He remembered how Kaoru used to laugh at how alike they were.

Kaoru; she'd been like a mother to him. She'd treated his wounds and gave him advice. She'd supported him through his original training.

He owed everything he was to Battousai and his wife. Wait a second.

"Sensei!" he called.

"I told you not to call me that anymore!" His ex-teacher called back.

"That's the thing… I don't know your real name!" He yelled, kind of embarrassed.

"Kenshin, my name is Kenshin." Kenshin called back, smiling warmly.

"Very well, see you tomorrow, Kenshin."

Takashi nearly jumped out of his skin as he turned and Kenshin was mere feet behind him. He shivered unnoticeably as his watched Kenshin's eyes fade back to violet.

"I forgot to mention something." He said as he moved a few steps forward, leaning on Takashi's shoulder. "We'll meet again in one month, instead of tomorrow. And remember this."

"Hai?"

Takashi was nearly crushed by Kenshin's aura.

"When we meet again, we'll be enemies. If you hold back at all, I will kill you."

Takashi flared his aura as well, and if they were visible, the clash would have been intense. Their auras were on almost the same level.

The tension between the two was incredible. For the first time, they were acknowledging each other as equals.

His sensei disappeared without another word.

He sighed, making his way back down the road to Hitsuya. He'd check on his beloved before turning in.

* * *

Sakura stretched her gorgeous body, yawning loudly. She wore nothing but her shirt and underwear as she was readying for her bath.

She stoked the small fire under the steaming tub, making it roar. She removed the rest of her clothes and moaned as she entered the water. She loved the feel of the hot water licking her skin.

Pulling her hair up into a half-hazard bun she sighed in bliss.

Kakashi and Inubo had been shocked at how much she was starting to open up again. It was startling how much just knowing he was alive had made her come out of her shell.

She sighed happily. She'd been followed by him again today. It made her giggle to think that he'd skipped his dire training just to stalk her. Well, no, stalk is a very strong word. She knew he was just watching over her, more like a guardian angel.

No, she decided. He was to dark to be an angel.

She smiled to herself as she decided that he was an angel, her angel.

"Takashi… I still love you; even after all we've been through. God, you've no idea what I'd give to just be able to lay in your arms, like we did back then. Come back to me, my black angel."

A single tear ran down her cheek as she thought those last few words.

* * *

He was sitting on the roof across from the dojo they had moved too. Takashi smiled.

Inubo had used a contact from the war to get better shelter for them. The dojo belonged to an old friend of theirs, and they were posing as a man, Inubo, his daughter, being Sakura, and her uncle, whose part was played by Kakashi. Thank god for genjutsu.

He looked down from the stars he was watching. He knew she knew he was there. She'd even glanced at him as he watched over her when she was out in the city.

This time he'd chosen to follow her from the ground, sticking to the shadows.

She'd even smiled at him.

As his gaze fell he saw the last light in the small dojo go out. Good, everyone was turning in for the night.

He groaned as he looked over at the small bathhouse.

Sakura had exited wearing only a towel that was so soaked that it was see-through, pulled down to show just the right amount of cleavage and up a little near the waist to show her creamy thighs. Her hair was pulled up into a cute bun with random strands hanging loose.

She'd even neglected to use the genjutsu.

He growled irritably. She was doing this on purpose. The little hellcat was screwing with him!

He growled again as she looked directly at him (even though he was almost fifty yards away and a good twenty feet up off the ground) with an innocent smile on her face.

He glared playfully at her and even though he couldn't hear it, he could tell she was laughing silently by the movement of her shoulders.

She looked back over with her eyes closed and her tongue poking out.

She finally, after purposely walking as slow and sensuously as possible, left his field of view.

He sighed, his gaze returning to the stars above. He was scared to talk to her. She should hate him, but she was flirting with him like they were nothing more than horny little high-school kids.

Takashi didn't want her there. She was in danger. But staying away from her and not giving in to his deepest, darkest desires was growing to be more than he could handle. The lustful beast within him was breaking its bonds.

He hated himself for when he first noticed her.

He'd sensed her presence before she even entered the walls. He'd come to get her to turn around, plus he had a very bad feeling that she was in mortal danger.

He couldn't help but admire how powerful she was as she fought. In fact he was so caught up in… admiring… her that she'd gotten cut before he could step in.

She'd been wounded because of him, but she didn't seem to care now.

It was as if all was forgiven between them.

It still shocked him that she was even willing to flirt.

Oh well, two can play at that game.

* * *

A/N- Wow. This was the longest chapter I've ever done. I hope you like it, and by the way, there will be more guest characters, and it's not just cuse I'm lazy, I don't want this fic to feel as dry as Eyes of the Devil did (yes I realize it was kinda boring at times) so I'ma use characters from other anime to keep people entertained instead of this being a name memorizing smut-fest. I'm trying more for an ass-kicking fiesta, but do not worry, there will be a lemon soon smut fans!

Anyway, I tried using the lines to show the jumps in pov better without having to spell it out. I think it's a good idea, do me a favor and tell me what you think in reveiws please.


	3. Midnight

Prayer of the Refugee

Chapter 3

Midnight

Disclaimer- Same as every other chapter. Duh.

His eyes snapped open, his body tense.

Every one of his senses strained, listening for the intruder. It was pitch black in the small dwelling.

His hand stealthily made its way to the tento (samurai style knife) hidden under his pillow.

It took everything he had to suppress his aura as he felt the figure moved closer.

The hand gripping the small blade tightened its grip, poised to strike. The figure leaned down and Takashi heard the unmistakable sound of a blade being drawn.

That was all he needed.

In seconds he shot out of bed and the tento was drawn and gliding through the man's throat. Blood spattered the walls and floor as the corpse spun, blood spraying from its neck.

Takashi kneeled down, yanking off the assailants mask. He grimaced. It was a female shinobi from the hidden mist village.

"Assassin…"

He scowled. This girl was no more than a chunin fresh out of the exams!

He lifted the poor girl up and carried her outside. Laying the girl's body down, he gently ran his fingers over her eyes.

"Forgive me." He whispered. He stood and walked back into his small apartment. The walls were splashed with blood. Trails of little droplets covered the floor and what little furniture within.

He sighed. He'd have to leave now. They obviously knew where he was. But where would he go?

"No." he said aloud, sickened at himself for even thinking it. He couldn't endanger her. That was the reason he left her behind.

Either way, he had to leave.

He went quickly through the room, grabbing his gi and blade as went. Cursing himself for killing her inside, he quickly packed the rest of his things and exited the small apartment, throwing a kunai over his shoulder.

It stuck into the floor with a dull thunk. The paper bomb spun in the air before bursting into flames.

Takashi didn't even flinch as his former home blasted apart. Debris fell all around him as he walked away with a dark look on his face.

So his home… or the closest thing he'd ever had to one was gone. Oh well. The only thing that had attached him to that place were the memories of his past, the one thing he wished to god that he could be rid of.

He pulled on his gi, tucking it into his hakama.

"Good thing I slept in my hakama." He thought grimly as he headed down the familiar road. "Well, if there's no other place…" He thought as he disappeared into the darkness of the night.

* * *

Sakura's eyes snapped open, pale green shinning in the dull light. A single candle was lit in her room, burning low and dim.

A noise had woken her from her sleep. No, not a noise. More like a feeling tugging on her senses; drawing her from the safety of her dreams and thrusting her back into reality. The feeling almost as if cold water had replaced her blood, slowly spreading throughout her body.

She felt it again, as if someone was watching her.

She jumped up from the futon, not caring that she wore only her bra and panties.

Silently, almost cat-like she moved to the pile of her clothes on the floor. She pulled a kunai from the holster on the floor and spun it on her finger to grip it.

She silently left her room into the pitch black night. Silently cursing the new moon, she moved slowly down the wooden walkway, wondering why Kakashi and Inubo hadn't been woken.

She outstretched her aura (which compared to Takashi and Kenshin's, was dismally small) and stretched her senses to try and find the source of the disturbance.

She managed to stretch her aura over the grounds of the dojo. Satisfied at the lack of enemy, she made sure her murderous intent was known before retracting her aura.

She sighed heavily before returning to her room. Still, what had caused that strange sensation?

The sliding door creaked as she entered the small room she'd been allotted to sleep in. Inubo and Kakashi had elected to sleep in the dojo, seeing as kenjutsu training was banned in Hitsuya anyways.

From behind her she heard a low chuckle.

Her eyes widened as a pair of strong arms encased themselves around her waist. Strangely, the embrace felt welcoming, and in no way threatening. Relinquishing her will, she allowed herself to be pulled into the man's arms, instantly knowing who it was.

"Tashi-kun." She whispered as he pressed her into his rock-hard chest.

"Your aura is weak, but I must say, I got chills when you made your intent clear." He said with a low chuckle. Sakura melted at the fell of his arms around her and his rock hard chest behind her.

"Tashi-kun…" she repeated, this time with emotions swimming behind it.

"I've missed you, Sakura."

God; any thought of pulling away was dispelled as he spoke. His mouth was inches from her ear, his warm breath sending pleasurable chills through her body. She felt him take a long, deep breath, inhaling her scent.

"Cherry blossoms. Now that's what you call irony." He thought, remembering the day they met.

Sakura's knees nearly gave out as his lips grazed the skin of her neck. She moaned and tilted her head back, practically begging for more.

He roughly spun her and claimed her lips in a fierce kiss that left her breathless.

Little did she know Takashi was at war with himself.

He growled as their lips parted. He backed her into a wall, Sakura gladly allowing him access to her scantily clad body.

His hands roamed all over as her as laved on her neck, eliciting soft sighs and moans from the pink haired woman wrapping herself around him.

Her long, sexy ; legs lifted up of their own accord, wrapping around his waist as she wrestled with his gi, managing to get it off of one shoulder as he sucked hard on her neck.

Cursing him mentally she moaned, knowing it would leave a rather compromising mark on her shoulder.

Takashi suddenly regained control over his body, managing, with great effort, to rein in the lustful beast that had consumed him.

He removed his lips from her shoulders and his hands from her body. Leaning in close, he whispered in her ear.

"I love you still, Sakura. But as fate would have it, I cannot stay with you here tonight. I'll come back to you when I can." He whispered.

Sakura snapped out of her lusty confusion and looked him in the eye. He smiled softly at her and placed a soft, chaste kiss on her lips.

"No…" She managed to half whisper, half gasp as he began to pull away. "I need you."

He smiled softly again.

"Not this night, my love. I promise, you will be mine again soon, but for now, please wait for me. I know it's inhuman for me to ask it of you, but please. One more day is all I ask." He said softly. "Please, my love."

"I… I don't want you to leave again." She begged.

"I know, but I have something I must do tonight. I will be yours by tomorrow's end, I swear it."

He pulled away, gently lowering her back to the floor and turned to leave.

"Takashi!" Sakura managed to say as he was mere inches from the still open door.

"Hai?" He asked.

"I… I never stopped loving you, Takashi. I didn't understand it at first, maybe I just didn't want to. But I know why you left, and I forgive you, as long as you come back to me like you promised." She said, praying it would be enough to heal both of their wounded hearts.

"I know Sakura. I must go now. See you tomorrow at midnight." He said before exiting the room and disappearing into the darkness.

Sakura sank to the floor, staring at the spot where he was just standing.

For reasons she'd never understand, she wasn't angry. All she felt was elation.

He'd come back to her. Her Takashi had come back.

* * *

Dawn was approaching.

Three men stand on the roof of an old empyreal style building surrounded by a high stone wall.

"Do you really think it's him?" One man asked, fear evident in his shaking voice.

"I don't know. We only know that the Lord got a letter stating that he was to die tonight." Another answered. "If it is him, we're all dead men."

"I doubt it." A shinobi with a deep voice said as he materialized from the shadows. He wore an outfit perfectly mirroring Sanjiro's, except his had a flame design going up the left sleeve of the gi. He also wore a headband, but his had no village emblem, instead it had the kanji for death imprinted on the cool steel.

The most striking thing about him was the extremely long blade he held sheathed in his hand, slung around to sit under his shoulder. Its guard was shaped like a star.

He sighed and brushed some stray strands of his messy raven hair out of his violet eyes.

"My lord!" One said, all bowing before him.

"His name is thrown around just to cause fear." The man said, completely ignoring the other man's question.

"Who is this guy?" One whispered.

"He's Matsuda of the Fang, one of the Crimson Six. He reports directly to Lord Kaitsu!"

* * *

Sakura and Inubo walked silently through the crowd. Her now dark hazel eyes scanned the area, taking in the city for the time.

The city was massive, and was built in the ancient styles. Now it had the look of a city that had been modernized so rapidly some of it had fallen into ruin.

Sakura gasped as the massive castle came into view. It was a truly daunting structure, its central tower hovering like a dark cloud over the center of the city, casting all below it into shadow.

Small lights glittered up and down the tower, like dots in the dark night sky.

Four smaller towers were at each corner of the castle grounds, each linked by the fifty foot high walls, set at sloping angles to prevent siege. At least in the ancient times anyway.

"Hitsuya is a remnant." Came Inubo's deep, growling voice from behind her. "It was founded as the capitol of the black empire over two thousand years ago, during the golden age of the Samurai. But don't get me wrong, just because it was their golden age doesn't mean it was peaceful. War ravaged the landscape and massive cities had to be constructed in order to survive. Villages close to cities were less likely to be attacked. In its day, Hitsuya was impenetrable. But about one thousand five hundred years ago, give or take a century, the earliest shinobi refined their arts and weapons, and the earliest juutsu were borne, their power giving the shinobi an insurmountable lead over the samurai. Eventually the samurai became obsolete in this new world, and most of their culture was wiped out by the passage of time."

"That's kinda sad." Sakura said in a low voice. "The samurai were great warriors."

"Yes, but their ways involved a rigid caste system, always putting them on top. Women had no rights and poverty and starvation were a nationwide problem. Eventually the black empire crumbled. Ironically even though the empire fell, the house of lords remained."

"Really, are any of them still alive?" She asked.

"There was. His name was Touji Nobunaga." Inubo said darkly. Sakura's eyes grew wide.

"Are you serious? _The_ Nobunaga? The man that started the revolution here?" She asked in disbelief.

"Hai, it's him. He got the mad idea that he should try to reclaim his empire. When rumors of an attack the Hidden Mist Village reached the peoples ears, they'd had enough. After six years of blind war, Hideki Matatsuma was able to unite the hundreds of factions fighting to bring down Nobunaga's tyrannical rule. With a little help from you know who." He said, smirking grimly.

"So why Does Hitsuya look like it's only seen modern technology in the last few years?" She asked, now intensely curious about the massive city.

"Because before the war, The Dark Realm, the country that Hitsuya was capitol of, hadn't opened it's borders to the outside world in almost a thousand years. That's why shinobi were such a valuable asset during the war. After the revolution's end, Hideki opened the borders and Hitsuya boomed.

You see, Hitsuya had no shinobi of their own, so Nobunaga hired vast numbers of them, so many that it seemed he'd win. Most were rogues, running from their pasts. In a way, we where too…"

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked as they began the trip back to the dojo they were staying in.

"Well… let's just say we didn't have much to go back too."

"I don't understand…" She said, more to herself than to Inubo. He sighed loudly, frustration evident.

"Takashi was trying to redeem himself for his past, for failing to kill _him_."

Sakura gasped, stopping as realization dawned on her. Violent images of a lone blade slashing through helpless bodies. Blood rained, and that cold, merciless, chuckling laugh rang in her head.

'Me… Well… let's just say I didn't have the greatest childhood either." He added grimly. "And Kurai, the third member of our clan, well, he was the last known survivor of the Takeda clan. We all had pasts we wanted to forget…"

Inubo didn't speak for the rest of the walk back to the dojo, leaving her alone to her thoughts.

She didn't noticed when they entered the dojo and she was greeted by a heavenly smell.

"Mmm, what smells so good?" Sakura asked, blinking.

"Welcome back!" Came a happy voice from the kitchen. A woman stepped around the corner with a warm smile on her face.

She had long, raven-black hair and the most gorgeous sapphire blue eyes she'd ever seen. She was perfectly curvaceous, and not unlike Sakura, her breasts were small yet voluptuous at the same time. Yes, the dojo's mistress was beautiful. She looked to be about ten years older that Sakura herself.

"Konichiwa, Kaoru-sama." Sakura said, bowing respectively. Kaoru's eyebrow twitched.

"I thought I told you not to call me by that name. It makes me fell old." She said, her fist held before her, shaking menacingly.

Sakura knew better than to cross her.

"Gomen, gomen!" Sakura said hurriedly, hoping to avoid the Lady's wrath.

"Where is Kakashi-san?" She asked, returning to the kitchen.

"He went out to gather information." Sakura said idly as she placed her sandals on the mat by the door.

"Oh. So you still haven't found who you're looking for?"

"Eei, he seems to have just up and disappeared on us." Sakura said, her mind wandering to that night. Would he keep his promise?

"Well, who is it you're looking… KENJI!" Kaoru yelled, scooping the young child up before he could crawl into the fire. "Now what did mommy say about trying to crawl into the fire?" She said, rocking the young baby in her arms. Kenji was crying loudly.

"That was close." Sakura said with a sigh.

"You're telling me. Ever since he figured out how to crawl he's been a handful. I can't turn around for a minute. If you weren't here I'd never get anything done." She said, smiling warmly at her child as little hands reached up towards Kaoru's face.

"It's no problem. It's the least I can do after you let us stay here." She said, smiling. He smile faded quickly.

Kaoru glanced over at her. She grimaced. Sakura was a truly beautiful girl. She didn't deserve what ever pain made that dark look cross her features.

Sakura's eyes roamed the room. Then she noticed a pair of swords placed caringly on an obviously hand carved rack on a table beside the door that led into the main dojo room.

"Those are beautiful swords."

"They're sakabatou, reversed blade swords. They're very sentimental to my husband." She said.

"Can I ask why?"

"Well, a long time ago, he used them to train our other son." She said. Then she laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"I called him my son again. Truth is. I was about your age when we took him in. But he may as well have been. Kenshin loves that boy like a son, and so do I. We took him in after the massacre." She said as she laid the now sleeping Kenji in the small bassinette. "We where the closest thing he had to a family after he ran away."

Sakura turned away, not really paying attention.

"I think I'm gonna turn in early." She said heading towards the door. All she heard was the shuffling of Kaoru's crimson kimono and Kaoru's arm looped around hers.

"Oh no, you're getting a good hot meal in your system whether you like it or not!" She growled, dragging Sakura back over to the table.

"What's all the commotion, Kaoru-dono?"

They turned to see Kaoru's husband, Himura Kenshin stepping through the door. Today he was wearing a dark blue gi and his usual white hakama.

"Sakura wants to hide away in her room again and I told her that she's gonna get a good hot meal tonight. She hasn't eaten a solid meal all week!"

It was true, at least. Sakura hadn't eaten more than a few simple bites of rice when her body absolutely needed it in days.

"Well then, this one agrees with Kaoru-dono. You must eat, Sakura-san." He said, smiling warmly.

"Hai." She said darkly before settling in to eat. She looked up and saw Kaoru and Kenshin whispering to each other.

"I found him. He's about to attack." Kenshin whispered.

"Where?"

"The Lord Shinta's manor. He's going to assassinate him."

"What? Why? He swore he'd never become a shadow assassin again after the new government betrayed him!"

"Hai, but I believe this is a trap. Lord Shinta only became a lord in the late days of the war. Nobunaga granted him the rank after he betrayed the location of the south barracks. Where Misa died."

Sakura's ears perked up. It was then the small hanging behind the two swords she'd seen earlier caught her attention.

Even with the large plants casting it partially from sight, there was no mistaking it. The symbol of the Uchiha clan was printed in black and white on the cool parchment, and on top in blood red in was the tell tale marking of the Sharingan. Written in Kanji beneath the symbols were two sentences:

_Live for the future, never stop forging ahead,_

_But never forget your blood, and that what was spilt in your stead_

"Oh no; this isn't good. Takashi will be drawn to that like a moth to the flame." Kaoru whispered.

All she'd heard was his name and she stood, grabbing Kenshin's gi from the front, angrily at first, but her grip weakened and he knees buckled. She gasped as she went down.

With lighting speed Kenshin dropped and caught her.

She looked up at him, her pale face stained with tears.

"Please…" She begged. "Please… bring him back to me… please… I need him…"

"Rest now, Sakura-san. This one will go and bring my foolish student back to you." He said quietly.

"Your… student?" She managed to whisper as she fell from conciousness.

Kaoru put a hand to the young girls forehead.

"Kenshin, she's burning up. She must not have eaten for days."

"Tend to her Kaoru, I must go."

Kaoru knew by his now steel blue eyes and his forgoing say 'this one' that he was dead serious.

"You're not going to?" Kaoru began, but Kenshin cut her off.

"I must Kaoru. To protect the life of my student, whom I cherish as a son, I must break my vow."

"Just come home safe!" She yelled as Kenshin walked over to the cabinet, throwing the doors open and extracting a beautiful katana: jet black, shinning sheath with a similarly colored hilt and a guard with four small, half circle indentations in it. He jumped out the window, his eyes bleeding amber as he gripped the blade.

"Takashi… you fool…"


	4. Matsuda of the Fang

Prayer of the Refugee

Chapter 4

Matsuda of the Fang

A/N- Yay! The first main battle chapter. You'll be able to tell because most will be named after the main antagonist.

The sun's first rays were creeping over the landscape, separated by the daunting forms of the massive and ancient towers.

The old Empyreal district he realized. This was where Touji Nobunaga had lived.

The security was almost laughable to him. His skill as an assassin was matched only by one man during the war; did they really think a few dozen men would stop him from exacting his revenge?

Of course he knew it was a trap. Even with the desire to kill him burned deep within him, his real purpose was, at least, more artful.

Materializing from the shadows, Takashi moved down the dark, barren street surrounding the high walls.

"No guards…" He thought as he moved quickly and silently down the street. "Strange…"

Takashi rounded the corner, his hair whipping in the wind in it's ponytail behind him.

As he was about to round another corner he saw lantern lights approaching. He growled, diving to the side. His line of sight went to the spot where he'd land.

"Shit!" He growled. A thin, metallic tripwire lay exactly where his foot would touch down.

With a quick bit of agility he spun in the air, his right hand touching the ground, pushing him upwards. That little bit of extra leverage was enough to send him flying up to the roof tops.

As soon as the Sharingan assassin landed he shrank back into the shadows, the crimson Sharingan spinning into life as he surveyed his surroundings.

The lights he'd seen earlier had stopped now.

"Damn. This isn't good." He thought viciously before he shrank farther back into the shadows.

"What was that?"

"Looks like the trip wire's been disturbed."

"Spread out. We have a possible unauthorized entry. Whoever, whatever has entered this compound without my knowledge, bring them to me!"

Takashi leaped from the shadows, across the gap between the wall and the roof top and down the other side, landing with a soft thud, a small cloud of dust lifting from the ground.

He returned to the shadows, using the wall as cover to slink down the perimeter of the mansion.

"Great…" He thought as he heard whistles being blown off in the distance. "They found those guards I had to kill earlier… Now what?"

He leapt out of the shadows, his strength and speed carrying him all the way to the compound.

A man spotted him. His mistake.

Takashi dove at him, moving at lightning speed, spinning slightly as he moved through the air. He growled at the familiar soft, yielding resistance as his blade glided through flesh and bone.

Almost disappearing with his sheer speed, Takashi jumped away, landing on the roof of the main building.

His sandals made a soft thud as he landed.

"Welcome."

Takashi barely turned his body, only enough to allow him to look upon the man, his expression calm yet menacing, his golden eyes swimming with power.

"Matsuda of the Fang, right?"

"Hai, Demon of the Shadows."

"Well, now that we're acquainted, you can feel free to fuck off now." He said, his tone deepening to a growl at those last few words. Takashi flared his aura. All men below, whether they knew of the two's meeting or not, felt their breath catching in their lungs, bitingly cold.

Matsuda felt his own breath growing cold in his chest.

"Well, well; so the rumors are true. I'd heard that just being near you freezes the breath in your lungs and stops your blood cold. I thought it was just an exaggeration." He said, throwing off the cold, along with his cloak. With a quick movement of his hands, his long sword was held before him. A metallic clinking noise rang out in the air as he freed the blade, followed by a hollow ringing as he drew the magnificent blade. "Now I see that your power is the real deal. Well?"

Matsuda held the blade horizontally before him, his hand placed open on the dull edge, the cutting edge facing Takashi.

"Well what?" Takashi said darkly, his hand gripping his sword.

"Let's dance!" Matsuda yelled, lunging forward.

Takashi stepped to the side, avoiding the attack and giving him the perfect chance to use battoujutsu.

He drew his blade at a god-like speed, wind rushing all around him as he swung his blade.

A loud metallic clash rang out in the night, followed by a dripping sound.

Takashi slid to a halt.

That was close… too close.

He'd forgotten to compensate for Matsuda's greater range. His sword was longer, giving him greater offense and range, yet his defense lacked due to its sheer length and highly limited range of movement. He knew this. What had he overlooked? Then it hit him as Matsuda began to laugh, still facing away, his sword draped lazily over his shoulder.

Then it hit him.

Of course. He'd overlooked the one thing he prided himself on.

"Well, it seems that the master swordsman has lost his touch." He said turning, but Takashi was gone.

"No." Takashi said as Matsuda spun out of the way of his slash, maneuvering his blade to allow him to block Takashi's follow up thrust. "I merely made a miscalculation; I neglected to compensate for your range."

Takashi swung his blade, Matsuda blocking his attack. He smirked as his body spun in a fluid, graceful, yet incredibly fast movement. Takashi brought his blade up, the force of the vertical slash lifting Matsuda off the ground.

The raven haired swordsmen had barely blocked the lethal move; his body slightly lifting off the ground as he was blasted back by the blades impact on his own, pinning the long katana to his chest as he slid back.

"Earth Dragon Hammer!" the Sharingan warrior yelled, bringing his blade down. The wooden planks of the castle's rooftop were blasted apart as a wave of energy surged forward, heading directly at Matsuda.

Matsuda smirked as the wave attack drew closer to him.

"Fool." He said, smirking. The star shaped guard on his blade began to spin. "Now behold my juutsu!" He growled as the guard spun rapidly. As it spun electricity began to form and bolt at the hilt of the blade.

Takashi instinctively jumped back, his Sharingan spinning into life, studying the technique.

"The guard of his sword is some kind of machine. He channels his chakra into it to activate it. The machine draws in the electrons in the air, combining them with his chakra until it bolts in its intensity." He thought in seconds, as he moved, his path curving as he rushed Matsuda. "I won't let you use it!" He yelled as he spun into an attack, Matsuda, surprised at his sudden attack, was unprepared and had to quickly retract his chakra before he lost it.

Both, having forgotten Takashi's earlier attack, jumped to dodge the massive wave of energy. Takashi growled and dove back at Matsuda as soon as his attack had dissipated.

Takashi's attack was battoujutsu, so fast that Matsuda could barely block it. Takashi turned to completely stare Matsuda down, his blade poised in an arc above his head, his knees bent low, ready to propel him forward.

And they did. He moved forward with incredible speed, but to his amazement, Matsuda blocked the attack and disappeared.

Takashi's instincts took over and he spun.

"There!" He said, thrusting his blade before him. Matsuda had to spin as he reappeared, using his long blade to deflect the attack, shock evident in his features.

"How? My sudden change in speed should have thrown you off guard!" He growled as he jumped back, sliding to a halt near the rooftops edge. Then he saw the look of amusement on Takashi's face. "HE PLAYED ME!" He thought viciously. "HE ONLY ACTED LIKE HIS GUARD WAS BROKEN TO THROW MINE OFF!"

"For someone who lives his life moving faster than almost any other human, compensating for your speed is nothing." Takashi growled.

Matsuda was furious. Never before had anyone dared to taunt him in battle. And that was mostly because nobody ever lived this long against him.

Takashi smirked.

"So much for the great Crimson Six, if this is all you guy's can do against me, and then I'll have no problem taking every one of you out all over again." He said, almost laughing.

Matsuda stood up straight, his composure regained, to stare down the Uchiha.

"Well, it seems I've underestimated you. But I wouldn't get your hopes up." He said, smirking evilly as he swung his blade up to rest on his shoulder. "I may be struggling with you now, but that's only because I haven't gotten a chance to use my juutsu against you. Besides, I'm the newest member of the Crimson Six, the rest are far more powerful. Besides, if you want to be technical, you've already killed one of us." He said before disappearing.

Takashi's eyebrow quirked in his confusion. Of course he had already killed one of them. All but two of the original Crimson Six had died at his or Inubo's hands during the war. Now that Sanjiro was dead, there was only one.

"Of course." He growled; Sanjiro's smirking face appeared in his mind.

Takashi easily parried Matsuda's attacks, almost bored, but the something in Matsuda's eyes seemed to change. His movements grew in strength and speed. It shocked Takashi how much faster Matsuda's attacks were coming. Takashi, never one to be outdone in battle, stepped up his speed as well.

Matsuda growled as he dove forward, using his own blade to knock Takashi's out of the way.

He had no time to defend himself. Matsuda's fist came in contact with Takashi's ribs before he could even attempt to stop him. Takashi's teeth gritted as he felt the familiar crunch of ribs being broken.

"Damn!" He growled weakly.

The fist in his side twisted, and Takashi threw his head back and yelled in pain as he felt more ribs break.

Then his face was introduced to Matsuda's boot as the raven haired warrior jumped up, delivering a crippling roundhouse to Takashi's head, sending the Sharingan warrior crashing away.

Wood was cracked and splintered, beaten and broken as Takashi violently slid across the rooftop, the wood tearing at his gi and hakama.

Takashi back flipped, landing gracefully at first, but a stab of white hot pain shot throughout his body and his hand released his sword on impulse to clutch his broken ribs.

He groaned as he fell backwards.

"Are you really so fragile?" Matsuda said, smirking evilly as he spoke.

Takashi stood, mentally refusing the pain, his teeth gritted.

"So what will you do without your sword?" Matsuda said, smirking in triumph.

'I'll kill you!" Takashi growled, making the necessary hand seals and shifting his stance.

His left hand wrapped around his right wrist and he held it down towards the ground.

"LIGHTNING BLADE!" He growled as the blue lightning leapt to life in his hand, appearing with an almost violent blast of energy. The bolts swirled and struck the ground, blackening the wood beneath them. Stray bolts flew out in all directions.

He leapt forward. Matsuda jumped to the side, shocked but not totally surprised at this new technique. Easily catching his hand, Matsuda released his blade and unleashed a crippling barrage of taijuutsu.

Takashi's chidori prevented him from retaliating and he could only stand there as his body was beaten and bruised, bones cracking from the power of his kicks. The last attack struck Takashi's side and sent him flying, breaking the last of the bones on that side.

He slammed to the ground, rolling at least twenty feet before stopping. He cried out as his shoulder hit a large rock and the sickening crunch of it dislocating echoed along with his cries of pain.

"Damn." He growled, sitting up slowly. His golden eyes searched the area for his blade. It was nowhere in sight. "Damn." He repeated as he popped his shoulder back into place, his teeth gritted as he stood.

Matsuda landed on the ground a few feet away.

"Come now. Is that all you can do?" He said, holding his blade before him. Matsuda growled. He wasn't even looking at him. His eyes were darting around. "It's no use. Your sword is still up on the roof of the castle." He said, smirking.

"Well then, I'll just have to kill you another way." Takashi growled, making the familiar hand seals. "Behold the juutsu of my clan!" He growled before taking in a large breath.

"What the-?" Matsuda growled.

"Fire style, Fireball Juutsu!" He growled, exhaling. The massive fireball roared to life. "Now for a little creation of my own!" he growled, smirking. Making more seals he clapped his hands together. "Wind style, Cyclone Juutsu!" The cyclone began to form and he slammed his hands into the ground. "Combined art, Dragon Cyclone Juutsu!"

The flames and wind combined, and in a great flash of red light, Matsuda was faced with a wall of whirling flames.

Matsuda smirked.

"Now it's my turn!" He growled. Raising his blade, the guard began to spin and lighting bolted. The blade changed, extending about and in, small sections of the blade shooting out like teeth. "THUNDER FANG!" He growled, bringing his blade down. The teeth cut through the air, drawing it up around the blade; the energy in the hilt was expelled as a blast of swirling thunder roared at Takashi's juutsu.

The two techniques smashed together, the flames, thunder, and wind surging around each other.

Matsuda growled and jumped back as the mass of wind pulled on him.

A thunderous blast echoed out, sending Matsuda flying back.

He slid to a halt almost fifty feet back and looked around. When the dust settled, Takashi was nowhere to be seen.

"Up here!"

Matsuda's eyes shot upwards. Takashi was at least fifty feet up in the air, his body upside down, blade held close to his shoulder.

"Strike of the Nine Dragons, Shadow Dragon Hammer!" He growled; chakra swirled around his body, and he spun, his momentum so great he almost disappeared as he came crashing down. He yelled as he brought his blade down.

Knowing he had no time to counter, Matsuda raised his blade.

In seconds Takashi crashed to the ground, his blade slamming into the ground sending rocks flying and the force of the impact making a crater.

Matsuda was rent from his right shoulder down to his left hip. Blood sprayed like rain from the room, coating the two warriors.

Matsuda laughed heavily, blood flowing out of his mouth.

His blade was piercing Takashi's chest, blood flowing, thick and crimson, from the wound.

Takashi released his blade and coughed. His eyes grew wide as a large amount of blood sprayed from his mouth.

"Oh god, no… the blade pierced my lung." He thought weakly.

Matsuda's hand fell from the hilt of his blade, the smirk never leaving his face as he fell back wards, the light gone from his eyes.

Takashi's eyes were wide, his pupils almost eclipsing his golden eyes.

"No… if I die here… he'll kill her!" He thought frantically. He cried out, feeling blood seeping from his body. "No… God no…" He growled. Regaining some strength Takashi ripped the blade from his chest, crying out as blood spurted from the wound, splashing the ground and soaking his already blood drenched clothes in more of the crimson liquid.

Takashi stumbled forward, blood flowing from his wound and his mouth. He was sweating heavily; his hair was matted and sticking to his skin.

Growling he fell to his knees. His eyes started to close.

"No… This can't be." He thought weakly as his body fell forward. "Brother… Itachi… were you right about me? Am I…"

A/N- Hello readers. Sorry for the delay, and I want to get something straight. The difference between the Dragon Hammer Strike (used in Eyes of the Devil) and the Shadow Dragon Hammer is that with the first technique, it relies totally on the wielders speed, strength, and jump height before attack. The later attack utilizes the ability to pool chakra in the feet, allowing the wielder to get almost fifty feet higher than with a normal jump. Also, the chakra spinning around him I mentioned was used to propel him almost three times faster than the first technique, so the Shadow Dragon Hammer is a far superior technique.

Anyway, I hope you like the first real battle in Prayer of the Refugee, and I appreciate reviews, so please Review.


	5. Reminiscence

Prayer of the Refugee

Chapter 5

Reminiscence

A/N- Well, this chapter is Takashi's memory, and what he dreams when he's unconscious. Enjoy. It's kinda long, though.

It was perhaps the first memory he had. It felt like centuries ago to him now, but here he was, his unconscious mind reliving it.

He must have been at least two. He remembered his mother, carrying his newborn brother, and his father, smiling warmly as he gripped his middle son's small hand.

Takashi's hair was short then, and he looked remarkably like Sasuke. His mother smile warmly at him as the curious toddler studied his newborn brother, smiling in joy.

He remembered Itachi. His eldest brother and by far best friend was walking beside him, holding his other hand. He remembered releasing his fathers hand and jumping haphazardly, trying to get at his brothers headband.

He remembered his brother laughing; telling him that it wasn't a toy with a joyful grin.

That was back before he became reclusive; before his mind was consumed with madness.

He could still feel the cool summer breeze on his face as they reached the playground. The laughter he felt building in him as he and his beloved older brother threw a small ball back and forth. The joy he felt as he watched his brother toy with the ball, using his speed as a shinobi and skill in taijuutsu to keep the ball from touching the ground using graceful, fluid motions.

It was possibly his favorite memory, and one of the very few he had that weren't consumed by the fires of war.

Then his recollections jumped. He was seven years old, and his father was beaming with pride as Takashi came running over, the headband tied loosely in excitement nearly falling off. His brother, Sasuke, was standing mere yards away. Sasuke was always with Takashi, seeing as only two short years separated them, and had replaced the now older Itachi as Takashi's best friend. He was beaming at his elder brother and happily congratulating him for earning his headband so early.

Itachi had appeared suddenly, now a chunin, handing his father a scroll.

"It's an urgent message from the Hokage." He whispered darkly.

"Look brother!" He said happily, holding up his headband.

"Oh!" Itachi said in a mock surprised tone. He placed a hand on his younger brother's head, ruffling his hair. "Well now! It seems I'm not the only prodigy in our clan. I'll bet you'll be a chunin like me in no time." He said. His eyebrows quirked as he saw the black cloth of the headband held in Takashi's small hands. "Oh? What's this? A black cloth? A Little strange, even for you, Takashi." He said, laughing.

"I like it!" Takashi said grumpily in his defense. He had. It was his favorite color, after all.

"I'll never understand why such a young child's favorite color is black." His father said, half laughing. He turned to Itachi. "Itachi, make sure your brothers get home alright, then meet me at headquarters, there are some very important people from the Anbu Black Ops that have taken some interest in you."

With that, their father disappeared.

"Niisan…" He began.

"Yes Takashi?" Itachi asked as they walked down the familiar road to the compound. Sasuke, who was still only five, was on his back, dozing.

"Well… um… I was wondering… would you help me with my Taijuutsu training later? My sensei says I need to work on it." He asked, hope evident in his voice.

"Sure Takashi, I'll help you with your training, but don't ask me to go easy on you." He said; that last bit more of an after thought.

"Thanks!" Takashi said, beaming.

Dusk had come and gone now, and in the darkness of the small patch of trees within the compound, the angry grunts of Takashi being pounded into the dirt by his elder brother could be heard all across the compound.

Their father was standing there, watching with amusement as his sons battled.

Itachi easily caught Takashi's fist, spinning in a fluid motion, using his leg to knock Takashi's feet out from under him.

Takashi gave a comical umpf as he slammed to the ground. Itachi appeared, towering over him.

"You're forcing it. Don't force it. Learn to anticipate my movements and compensate for them. Give it time, it should come natural to you soon enough. Now that you're a genin, your Sharingan will become active in a matter of time." He said, lending his hand to his brother, pulling him up out of the dust.

They resumed their stance and where about to start when their training was interrupted.

"Takashi! Itachi! Mother says to come home and wash up for dinner!" Came their little brother's voice, the small child appearing from the woods.

Both immediately exited their fighting stances, not wanting their younger brother exposed to the reality of combat just yet.

"What were you guys doing?" Sasuke asked, puzzled.

"Oh nothing, come, let's get something to eat." Itachi said warmly.

"Yeah, I'm starving!" Takashi said energetically, wincing a little as his bruised body ached.

Their mother gasped as they entered, seeing Takashi's beaten appearance.

"Itachi!" She said in a shockingly stern tone. "I thought we told you to go easy on him!" She said angrily as she rushed over and began to inspect every inch of her middle son.

"I did." Itachi said in a bored tone as he washed his hands and sat across form his father at the table.

"Well, we'll have to get your aunt to heal these bruises after dinner!" She said, turning one last glare at Itachi before returning to set out the meal.

"C'mon Mom, it's not like he beat me to death! Besides, I'm a genin now! I can take anything he throws at me!" He said in a tone reminiscent of a certain blonde haired shinobi.

As he spoke Itachi flicked a coin at him. The piece landed directly in the middle of Takashi's forehead, sending the young shinobi crashing to the ground.

Takashi shot up.

"HEY YOU JERK!!! NO FAIR!!" He yelled, attempting to leap over the table at his brother, only to be caught by their laughing father. "LET ME GO YOU TRAITOR!!" He yelled, struggling hopelessly. His father laughed harder before setting him down.

"Calm down Takashi, that's enough." He said, attempting to be stern.

"Stupid jerk." He mumbled, more directed at both of them than anyone.

"Now, now; that's enough out of both of you." Their mother said.

"Listen to your mother, dinner should be a time of peace, not arguing." Their father added, nodding.

"Traitors." Takashi mumbled to a giggling Sasuke.

Almost three hours later, after all were fed and washed, the house was settling in.

Itachi carried Sasuke, who'd fallen asleep watching a movie, into the room he and Takashi shared.

Takashi followed grumpily.

Itachi had just tucked Sasuke in when the small child woke.

"Niisan, why do I have to go to bed early?" He asked. Itachi smiled.

"It's because you're a runt." He said, gently jabbing Sasuke in the forehead. The youngest of the brother's hand darted up to cover as he muttered a sleepy protest.

"Oh, Itachi!"

Itachi turned to see Takashi slowly shutting the door, grinning.

"Oh, no." Itachi said in a dramatic tone. "Whatever will I do?"

Takashi and Sasuke's eyes met, and both grinned.

"GET THE TRAITOR!" Takashi yelled and the two dove on Itachi. Fore almost five minutes the three wrestled, laughing as Itachi took turns pinning the both. After a moment the two younger Uchiha dove on Itachi, pinning him.

"You win! I give up, I give up!" He said; laughing as his brothers pulled away. He tucked Sasuke in again as Takashi got settled in. He walked over to the door and switched off the light. "Now get some sleep; especially you, Takashi. Father has something very special planned for you." And with that, he left the room, sliding the door shut behind him.

"Brother?"

"Hai, Sasuke?"

"What do you think father has planned for you?"

"I don't know. I doubt it's gonna be fun." He said in an annoyed tone. "He might want to teach me the fireball juutsu, now that I think about it…" He added in afterthought.

"Well, I hope I can be as good as you and Itachi are." He said in a mildly dark tone.

"You will be. Knowing you, you'll be even better. Now get some sleep." Takashi said, turning over in his bed to stare at the moon through the window.

Now this trip through Takashi's memories takes a darker turn, and the events that he is now reliving in his dreams begin to fall into the chaos that has haunted him all his life. Mistakes, regretted for all time, will be made, and a horror that can never be undone will unfold.

His father was sitting there on the straw mat, watching Takashi with calculating eyes. He had just handed they now eight year-old chunin a katana.

Takashi had always shown an aptitude for sword play, but his natural talent for it remained hidden until the previous week, when he wielded a sword during the chunin exam. Even though he had almost no training with the blade he showed a natural talent for it, and an aptitude for anticipating his enemies attacks. Even though he only used it during one battle during the finals, the impression was made.

Even Itachi was mildly impressed.

Since then, Takashi had wanted a sword of his own, but he didn't like the swords shinobi used.

But this blade, it was a katana. A blade made in the style of the ancient Samurai. It wasn't altered for juutsu usage like most blades. He held it sheathed in his hand. The black sheath still shone in the bright morning light, the matching black grip and guard felt natural as he gripped it.

"May I?" He asked, and with a nod of his head, his father approved.

Takashi drew the magnificent blade. It shone in the bright light, blinding anyone who looked at it the wrong way.

"It's a magnificent blade, isn't it?" His father asked.

"Yes, it's beautiful. Whose is it?" Takashi asked, mesmerized by the sword.

"It's yours."

Takashi's eyes grew wide.

"Are you serious?" He asked; disbelief evident on his features.

"Yes. And there's someone I'd like you to meet. He should be here soon." He said, checking the watch on his wrist.

As he spoke a man appeared in the gate to their small home.

He was dressed oddly, wearing a dark blue gi, grey hakama, grey tabi socks, straw sandals, and a katana strapped to his waist.

"Takashi, this is Himura-san. He has offered to train you in the art of the blade." His father said in a somber tone.

"Nice to meet you, Himura-san." Takashi said, bowing respectfully.

"We need to leave soon, if you want me to train the boy." Himura said, completely disregarding Takashi. Mind you, he wasn't being rude. He had calm, kind violet eyes, and thought he had a daunting appearance, with his flaming red hair; he was actually a short man.

"Wait, leave?" Takashi asked, shocked.

"Yes." Himura said, smiling warmly, kneeling down to eye level with Takashi (he was short, but Takashi is only eight, after all). "Unfortunately, I cannot train you here. I'll need more space, and more privacy."

"Himura-san is a respected and honored swordsman and has offered to train you because of your obvious aptitude with a blade. You should be honored."

"Relax, Uchiha-san, if he doesn't want me to train him, I'll not be offended." Himura said, standing up. "It's a pity though. I could give you the strength to protect those you love without fail." He said, turning to walk away.

"Wait!" Takashi said weakly, and Himura turned, smiling.

"Yes?"

"Will, will I ever be able to come home?" He asked darkly, and though he was young, his maturity had far surpassed his age, and it showed in his features. "Will I ever see my family and friends again?" He added, fearing the answer.

"Oh, yes, you'll be able to return home, if that is what you wish. The training should only take five years, give or take a few."

Takashi's jaw dropped.

"Five years?"

"Yes, unfortunately."

Takashi was at war with himself. Should he go? Even at eight he understood the gravity of his situation. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Should he take it? He saw no logical reason why not, so he decided.

"I'll go… but on one condition." He said in a defiant tone.

"Oh?" Himura said; an eyebrow quirked.

"Can I have until tomorrow to say goodbye to everyone?"

Himura smiled.

"Of course."

"Himura-san, we'd be honored for you to stay here." Takashi's father said.

"Oh no, I don't want to be a burden." He said; his hands held before him.

"Then at least allow me to pay for your inn."

"If you must…" Himura said with a comical sigh.

Itachi appeared at the courtyard gate, and he and Himura locked eyes.

Takashi felt a chill run up his spine, even though he couldn't see his new sensei's face.

If he could, he would've seen the terrifying amber that made one thought go through Itachi's head.

"This man is incredibly powerful." He thought before turning to enter the house.

"He's got darkness about him… I can sense his malicious intent… he'll be trouble…" He said, his eyes fading back to violet and his left hand releasing the sheath to his katana, the hand that had been inching closer to the blade fell loosely back to his side. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow then, Takashi-san, Uchiha-san." He said, nodding to each in turn before departing to the compound gates and then to find a cheap inn. Even though he was given a fair bit of money, and had his own, he still preferred to sleep under the stars.

Himura settled down on the hill by the pier, content to watching the small boy training in fire juutsu practice.

"There's something foul in the air, that's for sure." He thought darkly.

Takashi was soaring across the rooftops. It was dark already, and the uneasy feeling he had kept on building.

Now to the night that has haunted him forever.

He wished the Hokage hadn't sent him on that mission. All he did was deliver a letter to an outpost. That and the time spent in the lobby of the Hokage tower waiting to speak to the old man to get the okay for his training with Himura-san had taken all day.

He was glad when he got back, the mission went perfectly and the Hokage okayed the training too, but the happiness left him almost instant the compound came into view.

"Where are the lights?" He thought darkly.

He nearly vomited at what he saw as he entered the gate.

Their home was utterly destroyed; signs of battle were all around, body's lye strewn across the ground. The soil was saturated with blood, squelching sickly under his sandals.

Acting on instinct he drew a kunai (he forgot his sword back home when he went to the Hokage, and he didn't have time to go get it) and disappeared into the shadows.

"Who could've done this?" He thought frantically. He heard a scream and his heart skipped a beat. "SASUKE!" he growled. He took to the rooftops and hurtled towards his brother.

"NO! NO! NO!" He thought viciously. He heard someone talking below him and stopped, sticking to the shadows.

He listened. He listened and learned that his brother had done this and his mad reasons for it.

Then he felt something. He felt a true darkness emanate from his brother, and he watched as Sasuke fell limply to the ground in the middle of the street.

"SASUKE!" He yelled and dove at Itachi. His brother drew his katana with lighting speed, stopping Takashi dead in the air, the blade and kunai clash, sparks flying.

Itachi pushed his blade forward, and Takashi's foot shot up, connected with the blade, and Takashi used it's momentum to flip backwards.

"I was wondering where you were." Itachi said in an evil tone.

"YOU SICK FUCK! DIE!!" Takashi yelled, diving forward. The kunai and blade clashed again. Even though Itachi was much stronger, the sheer momentum of Takashi's attack sent him sliding back.

Takashi was lunging at him again, and their blades clashed loudly.

Takashi jumped up, spinning into a roundhouse. Itachi ducked down and his left fist connected with Takashi's stomach, sending him flying back. Growling, Takashi back flipped back onto his feet, slide back for a moment, and then rushed forward again.

"DAMN YOU!" He growled as Itachi dodged his punches. Itachi made to kick, but Takashi ducked while making hand seals.

"Combined Art, Dragon Cyclone Juutsu!" he yelled, slamming his hands to the ground.

The fire roared up, but Itachi easily dodged the fiery cyclone, diving forward, blade poised to kill Takashi in one swing. He forgot Takashi's talent of predicting his enemy's moves.

Takashi spun out of the way, his outstretched fist connecting with Itachi's head, sending the Anbu officer flying back.

"Is that all the captain of the Anbu Black Ops can do?" Takashi growled, darting forward again, unleashing a crippling barrage of taijuutsu attacks.

Itachi growled in frustration, ducking a punch from Takashi and bring his blade down.

Takashi caught the blade between his hands, to Itachi's surprise, and yanked it out of Itachi's momentarily slack grip, tossing it to the side in one fluid motion and continuing the barrage of punches.

Unfortunately, Itachi was still far stronger than Takashi. He caught or deflected every attack, finally landing a powerful punch to Takashi's shoulder, sending his little brother spinning back.

Takashi slammed to the ground with incredible force.

He stood, only to find Itachi mere feet away and closing fast, blade reclaimed and poised to strike.

Takashi had no time to react, and he cried out as Itachi's blade sank into his shoulder.

He yelled in pain as Itachi yanked his blade down, from Takashi's right shoulder all the way down to his left hip. Blood sprayed from his wound, spattering Itachi.

Takashi stumbled back, his left hand lifting to touch the deep wound.

"Damn…" He growled. Itachi was standing there, wiping his little brother's blood from his face, ridding the crimson liquid from his blade with a swift swing.

Takashi's eyes scanned the area. The full moon was high in the night sky, its light casting shadows from the buildings around them.

"So, little brother, while so interested in killing me, you've forgotten Sasuke." Itachi said, sending a shuriken flying towards the unconscious boy.

"NO!" Takashi yelled, disappearing, reappearing before Sasuke, and deflecting the small projectiles. He cried out as he was run through from behind by Itachi's katana. The shinning blade was sticking out of his stomach.

"You have two choices, little brother, fight me and die of blood loss, leaving Sasuke defenseless, or you can take him to the hospital, and both of you can live. Which do you choose, brother?" He asked; chuckling sadistically as he violently removed the blade from his brother's abdomen.

"Itachi… how could you… do this?" Takashi said weakly, falling to his knees.

"Easily brother, I don't care about anyone in this world, so why would I feel remorse for ending a foolhardy and overconfident clan, so full of themselves they believe themselves better than anyone? No, I feel no remorse for ending this pompous clan. The only reason you and Sasuke are being allowed to live is that there is the possibility of one of you earning the Magenkyo Sharingan. If that happens, I want to be able to fight you. If you ever earn those eyes, come after me. Hate me until you can hate no more. Let it fester and fuel your desire for revenge. Kill me, Takashi, if you can."

"I can and I will!" Takashi yelled, diving forward, but Itachi caught him by the throat, slamming him to the ground.

"Fool. I'd rather not kill you Takashi." He said darkly, his eyes shield from view by his bangs. "I rather liked you. I wouldn't want to be the one responsible for ending your life. Besides…" He said, his face turning, the Magenkyo Sharingan spinning into life. "You show the most promise of being able to kill me, Takashi. You are the most powerful warrior our clan has produced. Both you and Sasuke have the potential to surpass me. Prove me right, brother."

"Bastard…" He mumbled, unable to hold back tears. "You'll pay for this!" he choked.

"Remember your failure Takashi. Remember how you failed your brother, and your clan. Bear the burden, for all eternity. Use it as a weapon, or let it fester. It's your choice." Itachi said, before disappearing.

"Damn you." He muttered, standing slowly, clutching the wound to his stomach, teeth gritted in pain as blood flowed from his wound.

"Shit…" He growled, falling to his knees again. "I have to get… Sasuke out… of here…" He growled, pulling his brother onto his back. "Let's go… Sasuke…"

Rain poured down from the heavens, soaking the young Uchiha as he sat alone on the roof of his home.

He saw his brother's lone figure come walking in on unsteady legs. He thought of going down to console his brother, but realized there was no point. How do you console someone who's lost everything?

Disregarding his own feelings, Takashi jumped down form the roof. He wasn't wearing his chunin uniform, merely a black t-shirt with the clan symbol oh his back and black pants on with his sandals.

"Sasuke…" He said darkly.

Sasuke kept walking.

"Sasuke!" He growled.

Sasuke stopped, his shoulders buckling as he cried silently.

"Why… why would he do this?" Sasuke stammered. Takashi's eyes fell.

"I don't know."

That was a lie. Both of them knew their brother had murdered their entire family. He murdered them simply to test his power. He had become a sick, twisted bastard.

"Brother… what'll we do now? Mother and father are gone…" He said, turning to Takashi.

"You'll live on. Go through life as normally as you can. Become a Shinobi, Sasuke, and become powerful. Protect those you love with your strength. Forget Itachi. Forget everything." He said, unable to look his brother in the eyes.

"HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?? HE TOOK EVERYTHING FROM US!!" Sasuke yelled, rage flaring in his eyes.

"There's no point living your life for revenge, Sasuke. If anyone should bear that burden, it's me…" He said darkly, his fists clenched tight, blood dripping between his fingers. "Do what father had wanted you to do. Live on and become a great shinobi."

"DAMN BEING A SHINOBI! I WANT REVENGE! HE ROBBED US OF ALL WE HAD! HOW CAN YOU TELL ME TO GO ON LIKE A NORMAL PERSON AFTER THIS?"

"THE BURDEN OF REVENGE ONLY BREEDS HATRED, SASUKE!" He yelled.

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" Sasuke yelled, tears sliding down his face.

"If you allow your hatred to consume you; if you live your life only for revenge, what'll you have when he's dead? What'll you do if you kill him? What will you be left with? Nothing, that's what… It's best if you forget what he's done and forget him. Gone on and try to enjoy life. Mother wouldn't want us to dwell on revenge!"

"FUCK YOU! AND WHY DO YOU KEEP TELLING ME WHAT TO DO LIKE YOU'RE NOT GONNE BE THERE?"

"Because…"

"Are you leaving me too?" Sasuke asked, his expression shifting from rage to horror.

"I'm going to go train with Himura-san, like father wanted. I'll gain the power to kill him. I'll make him pay for what he did." Takashi said darkly, his left hand touching the now bandaged wound on his chest. The doctors said it would heal, but there would always be a scar there, a grim reminder of his failure.

(A/N- In case you didn't notice, the scar was the first piece of the cross shaped scar on Takashi's chest Sakura notices in Chapter 5 of Eyes of the Devil)

"No… No…" Sasuke yelled, stepping back.

"Sasuke…" Takashi said, stepping forward and raising his arm.

"NO!" he yelled, stepping back. "YOU'RE GONNA LEAVE ME TOO!" He said hysterically, turning.

"Sasuke wait!"

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" He yelled, running off towards the clans meeting place.

"Sasuke… Forgive me…" He whispered, tears sliding down his face.

"Takashi… we need to go."

He turned to see his master standing behind him, a dark look on his face.

"Sensei… I failed him…" He whispered, barely audible.

"Hey…" Himura said softly, kneeling down before him, wiping the boy's tears away. "You did the best you could. There is no reason for you to blame yourself."

"BUT I FAILED! I COULDN'T STOP HIM!"

"Your brother did this for his own reasons. To have simply survived against the captain of the Anbu Black Ops is incredible enough. Now, have you said goodbye to Sasuke?"

"Hai…" He whispered weakly.

"Then let's go to your house. We'll get your things and leave right away." He said, placing a hand on Takashi's shoulder. "I have someone who's dying to meet you." He said with a warm smile.

Takashi stood before the door, Kenshin opening it slowly. It was a massive dojo style estate, surrounded by cherry trees.

It was a long journey to the outskirts of Hitsuya, a massive city just on the borders of Konoha and the Hidden Mist. It was ruled by a man named Nobunaga, or something like that.

It had taken almost two weeks to reach Hitsuya, and another three days to reach Himura-sans estate.

The door opened, and Takashi was greeted by a sweet smell, like flowers on a spring day.

The main hall was covered in old ink paintings, and all the doors were in the ancient sliding style.

Himura-san led him down the long hall and into a large room.

"This is the dojo." He said idly. "We'll practice here during the late fall and winter months. And through this door," he said, leading him to a door on the other side of the massive dojo, "are the living quarters. Here's your room." He said, leading him down a long walkway. When they left the dojo they'd entered an outdoor walkway, joined to the house.

The door Himura had opened for him led into a normal sized room. Off in a corner was a rolled up futon and a pile of blankets. A wooden dresser was on the left side of the room, with a small television on top. On the wall directly before him was a large bookcase, filled to the brim with books, and to Takashi's shock, _scrolls_. But not those used for messages. These were old scrolls, written by hand on parchment.

"Can I read all of these?" He asked, astounded. He loved to read.

"Yes. Some of them you must read, but do be careful with the older scrolls, Kaoru would kill me, and you for that matter, if they were damaged. Speaking of her, where is she?" He asked, scratching his head.

"Who's Kaoru?"

"Uh… um…" Himura said, blushing slightly. "She's… well… she's my lover… I guess…. You could say that…"

"Your lover?" Takashi asked; an eyebrow quirked (Takashi's smart, but he's still only eight, people).

"Uh… well, let's put this in terms you'd understand…. She's my girlfriend!" Himura said, snapping his fingers as he spoke.

"Oh." Takashi said, entering his room.

"I'll let you get settled in." Himura said, walking out of the room and shutting the door.

"So this is my home for the next five years…" Takashi said, sighing darkly.

After about three hours his door slid open again, and Takashi, who was cleaning the katana his father had given him, looked up to see a beautiful woman standing in his doorway.

She was about an inch shorter than Himura-san himself; she was wearing a midnight blue kimono. It did have any designs on it, but it still made her seem even more beautiful. She had long, raven black hair, and kind sapphire blue eyes.

"Hello. My name is Kaoru Kamiya, and I'm the future lady of this house." She said. She allowed a mock surprised look to cross her features. "Ken- Himura-sama…" she began, remembering Kenshin didn't want Takashi to know his name until he considered him an equal as a warrior. "He told me that he was bringing a new student home with him, but he didn't tell me how cute he was!" She exclaimed, leaning down to smile at him. Takashi blushed. She smiled. "Now, let's go get something to eat. You look starving!" She said, leading him from the room.

Takashi, now a boy of eleven, stands before his sensei, now dressed in a white gi, dark blue hakama, matching wrist guards, white tabi socks, and straw sandals.

"Sensei, forgive me, but I must leave. War is on the horizon and I must do something." He said, bowing respectfully.

"I know. It shocks me that you managed to learn all I had to teach you in three years, but I promised you three years ago today that you could return home, and I'm a man of my word. But promise to hold true to what I've taught you."

"I swear sensei." Takashi said, bowing respectfully to his sensei.

Kaoru appeared from behind him, carrying a small bag. Takashi took it from her gratefully. She wrapped him in a strong embrace, holding him close and whispering in his ear.

"Be safe, Takashi." She said, pulling away form him, her hands on his shoulders as she took him in. "You know, when you first came here, I thought you were cute, now you've grown into a handsome young man." She said, holding him close again.

"Thank you for everything, Kaoru-dono." He said, returning her embrace. When she pulled away, he reached forward and shook his sensei's hand. "Thank you, sensei, I can never repay what you've done for me."

"No thanks are necessary, Takashi."

"Goodbye, sensei." He said darkly.

Takashi turned and started down the road back to Konoha. He was headed to the culmination of all his mistakes, and soon, he would be thrown into a war, and his soul will be forever stained crimson. Takashi has started on the road to his destiny.

A/N- Well, there's a glimpse into his past. I hope you liked it. Please review. Oh, and the estate Kenshin takes him to is NOT the same one the others are living in now. That one is within the city walls. The one they went to is in the countryside.


	6. Restoring the Broken

Prayer of the Refugee

Chapter 6

Restoring the Broken

A/N- Holy hell this chapter's long! Anyway, if all goes as planned, every chapter will be this long from now on. Hopefully; anyway, sorry for the delay in posting this chapter.

"Takashi-kun; Takashi-kun, wake up."

His eyes opened slowly, the dim light in the room difficult to adjust to.

"Where…" He said almost inaudibly. His teeth gritted as white hot pain seared through his body. It hurt to breath.

"You're home. Kenshin brought you here." The kind voice responded. It was obviously feminine. "Shh, it's okay. Just stay still. You had a lot of broken ribs, and that pierced lung isn't going to make breathing any easier."

Takashi's eyes studied the room.

His was in his old room, most likely on his futon. There were multiple candles scattered across the room. To his right was a bowl of bloody water surrounded by used bandages.

Eventually his eyes fell on Kaoru, the beautiful lady of this house and his surrogate mother, sitting at his bedside. She looked exhausted, but relieved that he was finally awake.

"What hap…?" He began, but was silenced as another shot of pain coursed through his body.

"Shh, be still." She said, leaning over him. A smile broke out on her face as he tried to sit up, but failed, flopping back down with a grunt of pain. "You never did listen to me." She said. She leaned up, still smiling. "She'll be happy to know you're awake." She said, standing up. "She was elated to see you. You should be grateful, Takashi." She said as she reached the door, her tone suddenly hard. "She nearly died of exhaustion trying to save you."

As she spoke, it dawned on him who she spoke of.

"Sakura." He breathed.

Kaoru exited the room without another word, leaving Takashi to his thoughts.

"Damn!" He thought viciously. "Why is it every time I try to keep her away she comes anyway?!"

"Aw, you didn't die. I'm disappointed." Inubo said in his deep, growling voice.

Takashi remained silent as he gingerly pulled on his gi.

"Takashi, it's been three days since you came here and you haven't spoken to anyone but Kaoru and Himura." He growled. "Lighten up. I though you'd be racing off to see her."

"That's none of your business Inubo. Drop it." Takashi snapped. He tied the obi around his waist and went to move by Inubo, but he stood his ground. Takashi sighed heavily. "You haven't forgiven me yet, have you?" He said, his eyes focused only on the floor.

Inubo snorted and stepped aside, leaping to the other side of the court yard with little effort. Takashi watched as he disappeared behind the door to his room.

Takashi growled in frustration.

"Does everyone hate me now?" He thought aloud.

"Most of us, yes."

"Kakashi; what do you want?" Takashi growled impatiently. "Come to rub it in my face as well?" He growled; his steps were soft thumps against the wood as he walked away from Kakashi.

Kakashi lifted himself up from the wall and followed the young shinobi down the long corridor.

Takashi sighed heavily; with a fluid movement he dropped down to his right hand and swung his legs over the edge. He pulled his right leg up to his chest with a somber look on his face, his right elbow resting on his bent knee.

"How bad was it, Kakashi?" He asked darkly as the copy ninja leaned against a beam to his right. His eyes were locked on the door to her room across the courtyard.

"Bad. She took it well for a while, kind of like she was in shock, but it just hadn't set in. But after a while, it seemed to really sink in with her that you were gone. That's when things turned for the worst." He said in a grim tone. "She wouldn't talk to anyone; every night she cried herself to sleep and woke up screaming."

Takashi's gaze darkened as he spoke.

"She seemed to be holding it together though, at least to the outside world. She still functioned in her duties as a shinobi, but I looked into her mind. She was broken. It only got worse when that rumor of your death reached her. She stopped eating. She hardly ever slept. She didn't even get better when Tsunade sent us to find you." Kakashi continued grimly. "Every night I had to force her to eat; use the Sharingan on her just so she'd sleep." He said. A long silence followed his words.

"She must hate me…" Takashi said darkly, his head bowed, bangs obscuring his eyes.

"On the contrary, she loves you. She couldn't let you go." Kakashi said darkly before disappearing in a plume of smoke.

Takashi sat there for what felt like hours. The sky overhead darkened, the angry black clouds spilled across the sky. Thunder split the silence in one thunderous blast as rain poured down from the heavens.

He swung his legs back up under the overhang, not wanting to get soaked, and sighed heavily. His eyes were unfocused as he thought, his head bowed. His vision shifted from the blank stare to the peaceful rain.

"Quite the down pour, no?"

Kenshin stood at the end of the walkway, a warm smile plastered on his face.

"Yeah, it's really coming down." He said in an apathetic tone. Kenshin walked over and leaned on the beam opposite him, his arms folded across his chest as a pleased sigh escaped him.

"I love spring. It's nice and cool, and the rain always feel so refreshing, not hot and muggy like in the summer, or cold and clammy like in the winter." He rambled. "It's nice to be somewhere peaceful for once, no, Takashi?"

"Hai; I haven't been this calm since I left Konoha." Takashi said softly.

"Don't worry. Relax for a while. There's still plenty of time before that day comes. This place is safe." He said, his tone dark yet happy.

"I know. I just don't know what to say to her. How do I apologize for breaking her heart?" He said, his voice betraying his agony.

"Just talk to her. She loves you, there's no doubt about it. Maybe if you talk to her, she might forgive you." Kenshin said. "I don't pretend to understand the working of a woman's heart, but I know you should at least try." He said, his right hand rubbing the back of his head as he spoke. "You should at least try. Don't give up on love Takashi, it's the most precious thing we humans may have in life. Without it, we'd be nothing more than heartless murders like Kaitsu." His said; his tone turning serious as he spoke.

Takashi sat on the roof now, apathetic to the rain soaking his tattered clothes and body.

"Takashi!"

He ignored it.

"Takashi Uchiha! Get your ass down here now!"

Takashi sighed heavily. When Kaoru wanted something, she sure as hell got it. He jumped down from the roof, wincing gingerly as he landed. His injuries had yet to heal, and any strenuous movement sent waves of pain through his body.

"Hai, Kaoru-dono?" he asked. He turned to see her and jumped back, shocked.

She was wearing a pair of faded blue jeans and a white tank top, complete with blue shinobi boots.

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you." She ranted, walking up to him. She looked down at him from her place under the over hang, grimacing. "You're all wet! What were you doing up there you moron!" She yelled, grabbing him by his gi and pulling him under the overhang. "Come on; let's go get you some dry clothes." She said, dragging him by the arm down the walkway.

"Kaoru-dono, what's with the change in wardrobe?" He asked as she shoved him into his room. Kaoru snorted.

"Hitsuya isn't the same as it was when you left it last. Things have changed. Besides, it gets tedious to wear kimonos all the time. It takes so much time to put them on. I figure a change once in a while is a good thing!" She said, smiling brightly.

"Okay, but these are the only clothes _I_ have, Kaoru-dono." Takashi said helplessly as she rummaged through his dresser.

"None sense! You left some here last time you visited." She said, yanking them out. "Here, dry off and get dressed."

She left them room and slid the door shut behind her.

"Women…" Takashi said, smiling despite himself. He removed his sodden clothes, tossing the soaked fabric into the basket near his bed roll.

The clothes she'd given him were the ones he wore to blend in last time he was here. The outfit consisted of a snug fitting black long sleeve shirt that hugged his slim frame, and long, black, slightly loose fitting pants. He pulled them on, along with his spare sandals.

The bandages covering his body were clearly visible under his clothes, the long strips of cloth covered right arm completely and most of his torso. A large white bandage covered his left cheek.

He walked out the door to find Kaoru. She was leaning on the beam opposite his door, clicking her tongue in her impatience.

"Could you have taken any longer?" She said loudly, grabbing his arm and dragging him down the walkway, through the dojo, and out the front gate.

"Where are we going?" Takashi asked; content to hold the umbrella over their heads as they walked down the lane.

"Kenshin finally coughed up some of the money he's had stashed for a while so…" She began, taking a breath, "I'm going shopping!" She said in an elated tone, excitement coursing through her.

"Why do I have to come?" He asked in a bored tone.

"You're the muscle behind this operation. I can't carry all the bags by myself, can I?" She said, grinning from ear to ear.

"I guess not." Takashi said, but he knew the real reason. Kenshin wanted someone to look after Kaoru while she was shopping.

She spent the next two hours dragging him around the commercial district, pulling him in and out of the massive stores and outlets. After a while she ended up dragging him to the market, where she loaded him down with various food items.

"Let's splurge for once and have a nice meal!" She said happily as she pilled more bags into his arms. She laughed softly at his seemingly permanent expression of total aggravation. "Come on, you don't have that much to carry!" She said, but his expression grew more aggravated her eyes roamed the mountain of bags. "Fine you big baby!" She yelled, snatching away the grocery bag.

They stopped at a small outdoor café to get some coffee on their way out of town. As they sat there, Kaoru talked endlessly, yammering on about menial things. Takashi noticed how she kept slipping in quick, wary questions about his stay in Konoha.

"So, how did you two meet? You and Sakura, I mean." She asked conversationally. It was obvious that she just wanted to talk to him about her, but he decided to play along.

"She walked up on me asleep in a clearing. I woke up when I heard her coming, but she didn't notice me. She was captivated by the clearing. She nearly jumped out of her skin when I spoke to her." He said, laughing warmly at the memory. He sighed. "It was so much easier back then." He said darkly.

"You need to go see her, Takashi. The poor girl refuses to leave her room now. She won't eat or sleep. You have to make this right, Takashi." She said in a stern, motherly tone. "I know you love her, so just stop worrying about the outcome or the possibilities. Just go see her." She said; her tone now soft and gentle. Takashi almost fell over as she jumped up. "Now let's get back to the dojo. I have more chores for you to do!" She said in an evil tone.

Takashi sighed. He rose from his chair. As he turned, his eyes fell onto a small shop across from them.

"Hang on. I'll be right back." He said. He walked over to the door and opened it slowly. It was bright inside, obviously a high end store. Massive glass cases covered the walls, filled with sparkling jewels and expensive necklaces.

He walked up to the counter, grinning to himself.

Kaoru waited patiently for Takashi to emerge from the small jewelry store, sipping apathetically at her latte.

He emerged after almost half an hour, grinning like a Cheshire cat. Kaoru smiled.

"What'd you get her?" She asked.

"That's none of your business." He said. The grin never left his face as they began the walk back to the Himura dojo. He growled impatiently.

"Calm down, we'll be there soon. Besides, I doubt giving her some expensive piece of jewelry is gonna make her love you again." Kaoru said, snickering.

"I don't expect it too. I bought it for another reason. I don't plan on giving it to her anytime soon anyway. I only bought it because I hardly ever get any personal time. When would I get another chance to do something nice for her?" He asked, grinning. Kaoru shook her head. She jumped unnoticeably as his head snapped to their right, glaring at a solid wall.

"What is it?" She hissed.

"Guards; feels like three of them, and one shinobi." He growled. His hand automatically rose to grip his sword, but his fingers found nothing but air. "Damn." He growled.

The sun was setting; shadows encroached at the small alley he led her down. He growled again.

"Okay…" He began, whirling around to face her. Kaoru shrank back; his golden eyes glowed with a feral power in the dimming light. "They're on foot at street level. If we take the rooftops, we can get away; but you'll never outrun them. You just don't have the speed. And with my injuries…" He muttered to himself. "Alright, climb onto my back." He said darkly. She took the bags from him and climbed onto his back, interlocking her arms and legs. "Hang on, Kaoru-dono." He whispered. "This is gonna hurt." He thought weakly.

With a strong push from his legs they were almost thirty feet in the air; he landed on the nearest rooftop with ease. Kaoru hung on for dear life as he sprang across the rooftops at an incredible speed. To everyone else they probably looked like nothing more than a blur against the black sky. The brief reprieve from the storm was letting up now, and she felt small drops of rain pelting her as he soared from rooftop to rooftop.

"You can get down now." He said, almost laughing.

Kaoru opened her eyes and gasped. They were already at the dojo.

"Holy shit you're fast!" She said, climbing down from his back.

"It wasn't all without pain though…" He said through gritted teeth. His right arm clutched his side.

"Oh no, your wounds haven't healed!" She said, gasping. She began to inspect his personage, but he gently shoved her hands away.

"I'm fine. It's just not gonna be easy to breath for a while." He said with a halfhearted grin.

He helped her carry everything inside, still wincing gingerly.

She released him for the night with a worried glance over her shoulder as he walked out of the main building and onto the walkway.

It was pouring rain again; the drops fell heavily, forming a dull beat on the wooden structure.

Takashi stopped and leaned against the beam outside his room, sighing heavily. Not much ever happened here, he remembered. Even the fiercest shinobi were terrified of his ex-sensei's power, so no one ever dared to attack this place.

He took a deep breath; the cool, fresh air, heavy with moisture relaxed him greatly. His eyes focused on a door opening across the courtyard.

"Sakura?!" he breathed. He was barely a blur as he ran around the walkway. He silently appeared behind her, and he stopped where he stood. She hadn't noticed him, but he knew she could sense his presence. She stopped a few steps in front of him, her shoulders buckling as she cried silently.

"Takashi…" She said; her voice barely audible over the pounding rain.

"Sakura." He whispered, stepping forward.

She moved to walk away, but didn't. Even so, the gesture didn't go unnoticed, and Takashi drew back.

"I'm sorry… I'll just go back to my room…" He said in a defeated tone. The swordsmen turned to leave, but her hands shot out, grabbing his.

"Don't go!" She begged. Takashi grimaced. He knew she was crying. He could smell her tears. He could hear her quickened heartbeat and her rasping breath.

"Sakura…" He said; his voice less audible than hers. He spun so fast she didn't catch the movement. Before she could register it he'd grabbed her by the shoulders and crushed her against him in a fierce embrace.

She melted into his rock hard chest and cried uncontrollably as they sank to the floor. He sat on his knees and held her.

"Why?!" she screamed between sobs. "How could you do that to me?" She managed to form between sobs as her crying grew louder. Her fists pounded weakly against his chest as she sobbed.

"Sakura… I had to… I couldn't let you…" Takashi began, but never finished as he buried his face in her shoulder and continued to crush the young kunoichi against him. He reveled in her sweet scent, they way she felt against him, her warmth. He needed her. There was no doubt in his mind. The many months they'd spent apart had taught him something.

He couldn't live without her.

Sakura cried, but she was still coherent enough to like the feel of his warm skin. Unlike the gi and hakama, his current attire held much closer to his thin frame, allowing her to feel more of him. Her arms snaked up around his neck, her head mimicking his as she buried it in his shoulder. She felt a jolt of pleasure coarse through her as she felt his warm, smooth skin against her arms.

It had been so long since they'd been together. Even now, Sakura could feel the familiar feeling of comfort washing over her as he held her.

"Oh Takashi…" She sobbed. "It felt like my heart was torn from my chest, like there was an empty hole left to bleed. I spent every day trying to hold myself together. It felt like I was being ripped apart every time I thought of you… And you were almost always on my mind no matter how hard I tried to block it out…" She said through her tears.

"Sakura… I'm so sorry… I didn't see any other way… I was a fool…" He said, holding back his tears. His embrace didn't relent as she cried harder.

"Tashi-kun… I can't live without you… You were all I had…"

"My love, please forgive me. I… I never meant to…"

"Tashi-kun…"

"Sakura, my love, forgive me, I swear I'll never leave you again." He whispered. "If you'll still have me." He added.

Sakura pulled back, glaring at him. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying; and she was pale, deathly pale. Dark circles had formed under her eyes from her self imposed sleep deprivation. She felt weak as well; her limbs shook with any form of effort whatsoever.

"How can you ask that of me after what you've done?" She said, anger and sadness resonating in her voice.

"I know what I did was unforgivable, but… would you believe me if I said that every second I wasn't with you was tearing me to shreds?" He said, anguish evident in his eyes. "I can't live without you either, Sakura… When I left you… It tore me apart… I've lived in darkness for so long… You were the only light in my world. Without you, I was lost. I love you, Sakura. I left to protect you from my demons. I would never… could never… god, please forgive me…" He whispered before crushing her against him again.

Sakura was about to protest when she felt something wet on her neck. He was crying!

Her eyes softened and she returned his crushing embrace.

"Takashi… I… I know you would never hurt me intentionally. I'm sorry."

"NO!" He growled. He pulled away from her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Don't apologize! I'm the one that left! You did nothing wrong!" He growled, but the sound broke. It was so odd for her to see tears staining his pale cheeks.

"Takashi…" She said in a soothing tone, her hand rose to stroke his cheek and wipe away his tears. "I know why you left… it's just… I couldn't believe you were gone… that you might not come home to me. It was killing me. I felt like a hollow shell without you." She said, allowing him to pull her into another, much gentler embrace.

It felt good to have his strong arms around her body again. She looked up as she felt his thumb and forefinger on her chin. He lifted her face to look deep into her eyes, and she was absorbed by his bright gold orbs.

"Sakura, my love, I swear I will never leave you again. I'll die before I hurt you." He whispered; his eyes now dry. He leaned in and kissed her, soft and chaste. She whimpered into it and wrapped her arms around his neck, returning it. She'd longed for this for so long, as had he. It was so different from their lustful kiss almost a week ago. This was their first real kiss in almost eight months. It wasn't needy and passionate, but soft, and full of love. It might have even been their first real kiss that wasn't driven by lust, only love.

He poured everything he had into that one kiss. All his love, all his sadness, all his pain; Takashi kissed her as if it were the last moment he'd every share with her. Sakura whimpered again, her lips moving against his as his acted in equal. His arms rested on the small of her back and pulled her closer, if possible, while hers went weak. If they were standing Sakura knew her leg would be in the air. She blushed at the thought. Good thing his eyes were closed.

The two remained like that for what felt like eternity before parting. Takashi smiled at her, that same soft smile she'd fallen in love with, and scooped her up into his lap. He scooted back and leaned against the wall. She took his invitation and lay against him. They sat in peaceful silence, both happy to simply be together. Every now again she'd lean up for another soul searing kiss, but they spent most of their time in companionable silence. After a while, Sakura decided to break the silence.

"Tashi-kun… I've noticed something." She started.

"And what is that, my love?" He said softly. Sakura sighed as his fingers traced the lines of her cheek bones, sweeping down to brush her collarbone and sweeping back up to stroke her cheek lovingly.

"Your eyes," she began, "they normally turn grey when you're calm, or at least onyx. How come they haven't faded back? Why are they still that bright gold?" She asked, mimicking his gentle strokes.

"Ah… well, apparently when I embraced the murderer within me, my true eye color emerged. Sensei, that is, Kenshin, said that it had something to do with kenki, the air of the sword, and my mastery of it." He said in a bored tone. "How I project my aura." He added at her confused expression.

"Oh… will they ever fade back?" She asked apathetically.

"I don't know; probably not."

"Oh." Sakura sighed as she laid her head back on his chest. "I'll miss them. I liked your onyx eyes."

"I'm sorry." He said in a sad tone.

"Don't be. I like your golden eyes better." She said, smiling wickedly. Takashi's eyebrow quirked as she spoke.

"Why?" He asked.

"Well…" She began, sitting up on her elbows on his chest while her fingers toyed with the collar of his shirt. "They're dangerous, yet gorgeous at the same time. They show more emotion than your onyx eyes do, and even though the gold scares me sometimes, I know that the power I see in them will only ever be used to protect me." She said, smiling warmly. Her long pink hair cascaded down as she bowed her head, embarrassed by her own words. Takashi smiled and pulled her in for another long, soft kiss. She was grinning when they broke, as was he.

"I missed these moments." He said softly. She smiled and kissed him again. She pulled back and studied his appearance.

"You know, the gi and hakama don't do you any justice. I'd forgotten just how gorgeous a guy you are." She said; studying his knew appearance as she spoke.

"Oh really?" he asked in mock sarcasm.

"Yeah; the gi is so big and billowy. It does no justice to your chest and abs. Besides, I always thought you looked better in black. Not to mention those baggy hakama! They made you look so much older than you really are! All in all, no justice to you." She said, half laughing.

"Oh, I don't know Sakura. I think you'd look pretty sexy in a kimono." He said, snickering as she blushed heavily. She playfully smacked him on the chest. "Hey!" He said happily. They both laughed. Their eyes locked and Takashi placed a hand on her cheek, gently guiding her down for another kiss.

"It's getting late." She mumbled.

"And just what do you want to do about it?" He said, giving her a sultry smirk. To his surprise, she pulled away.

"Tashi-kun, I'm sorry, but I don't think I'm ready to go that far with you again just yet." She said. "Don't get me wrong, I do still love you, and I'd like to be the way we were before you left again, but just not yet. I'm still having trouble believing you're really here; that this isn't some fucked up dream meant to torture me." She said darkly.

"Don't worry my love. This is no dream, and as long as you want to wait, I'll be happy to wait for you. I love you." He said.

"I know." She said, smiling happily as they kissed again. "But you know it would be nice to wake up in your arms again." She said in a half playful, half pleading tone.

"Whatever you wish my love." He said in a low, but happy tone.

He stood, and she gasped as he easily flipped her around so that he was carrying her in a bridal fashion. She laughed at his sudden movement as she looped her arms around his neck.

Takashi carried her into her room and set her down. She turned and unzipped her blue shirt, allowing it to fall from her shoulders. Her sandals joined it, followed by her belt and gloves. Her eyes flew around, glaring at him.

"What?" Takashi asked.

"Turn around, you pervert." She said, grinning.

"It's not like I haven't seen everything." He said, grinning just as wide as her, but he obeyed and turned around.

Sakura removed her shirt and bra next, followed by her pants and panties. She pulled her sleeping things out and pulled the tank top over her head, along with the white cotton shorts. They were incredibly short, barely coming three inches down her thigh.

Takashi turned around when he heard the sounds of her rolling out the futon, and he bent down to help. She smiled warmly at him as they worked, and he returned it happily.

She was laying out the blankets when he stood up and removed his sandals. Sakura smiled as he pulled off his belt with a slight whirring sound. The thick brown leather fell to the floor with a dull thud. He lay down on the futon beside her. He intertwined his limbs with hers, and Sakura happily crushed herself against his slim, muscular frame.

"What, you don't want to take off the shirt?" She said, pouting. He laughed.

"You wouldn't want to disturb the bandages would you?"

They kissed again; another long, sweet kiss that sent a feeling of warmth coursing through them. Takashi ran his hand through her soft, silky pink hair. Her hands found his hair and destroyed his ponytail, eventually managing to remove the rubber band all together.

They both pulled away at the same time, smiling.

"I missed you so much." Takashi whispered, planting a soft kiss on her forehead. "Rest now my love. I swear I'll be here when you wake up." He said in a soft tone.

"You better be…" She whispered sleepily. Her breathing evened out and Takashi smiled. She'd forgiven him. After all he'd done, she'd forgiven him.

Kaoru smiled as she opened the door to Sakura's room just enough to peer inside. Takashi was curled up around Sakura, his limbs wrapped around her in a possessive embrace. Sakura was snuggled up into his chest, smiling contentedly in her sleep.

"At least they're both happy. I'm glad."

Kaoru turned to see her husband standing behind her, smiling. She turned to him, smiling just as wide. Kenji was asleep in his arms.

"He was crying so I decided to pick him up and take him outside. He's like me. He loves the rain." He said.

"Well if we keep him outside much longer he'll catch cold, so let's get to bed." She whispered, taking the sleeping child from her husband. Kenshin closed the door behind her.

"Kind of reminds you of when we first fell in love, doesn't it?" Kenshin said, smiling at the fond memories.

Sakura awoke feeling better than she had in almost eight months. She was warm in Takashi's embrace, even though the thin blankets had been discarded. Takashi was still sleeping. She smiled at the peaceful look on his face. She hadn't seen that look in a very long time. Her gaze fell to his chest, wanting to rememorize every detail of his body, just in case he disappeared on her. She moved her hand along the soft cotton material of his shirt. She wasn't surprised when she felt the bandages. She could see them on his right arm, wrapped all the way down to his knuckles. The bandages covered most of his torso as well, along with some small, but deep cuts on his legs.

"Good morning." He whispered. She lifted her gaze and grinned at him. He grinned back at her, leaning down to kiss her. Sakura sighed into the kiss and kissed back with everything she had.

They pulled apart, and Takashi grinned.

"So, how'd you sleep?" She asked him in a teasing tone.

"Better than I have in months." He said, laying his head on his right elbow. Sakura propped her head up on her hand, her elbow resting on the pillow. She traced his cheek and jaw bones with her fingertips as his free hand rested on her waist, tracing meaningless patterns on the exposed skin. "I love you." He whispered. Sakura's expression was soft, and full of love.

"I love you too. Now let's get some breakfast. I'm starving!" She said. Her words coincided with a light growl from her stomach.

Takashi laughed and stood up, helping her up as he went.

"Alright, let's get you something to eat." He said happily.

"Hang on. I want to get a shower first, it that's okay?" She asked timidly. She bit her lip as she waited for his answer.

He smiled warmly at her.

"Alright; and I take it you want to do it separately?" He asked. She shook her head, her eyes glued to the floor. "Alright, you can go shower in the bath house and I'll bathe inside." He said, stroking her cheek. "Or vice versa, whichever you prefer." He added.

"I don't mind the bath house." She said. "Besides, it'd be nice to take a nice hot bath!" She said excitedly.

"Women…" He thought with a smile. "You get ready; I'll go get the fire started and the water nice and warm for you." He added. She watched him pull on his sandals and return his belt around his waist. He left without another word, and she turned to gather her things.

She smiled as she dug through her backpack. It was a miracle she'd brought them. Her mother had been the one to tuck them into her bag before they left. She remembered her mother's words well.

"There's no reason you can't treat yourself like a lady." She said, smiling warmly.

Sakura winced at the thought. She'd become a total recluse for the past few months. Her social life had floundered. Despite all her friend's efforts, she'd fallen completely into darkness. She felt bad for completely disregarding her friends; for forgetting them and living in the past for so long. Everyone had tried to help because they loved her and didn't want to see her suffer.

She sighed as she pulled the bath oils and sweet smelling soaps and shampoos from her bag; gratitude coursing through her for her mother. She pulled her hair up into a ponytail as she gathered her things in a small beaded bag her mother had given her a few years ago.

She wrapped herself in a yukata, not bothering with the obi. She held it closed by the front and walked down the walkway and through a door a few yards to her right. The things in her bag clanked with every step. It led into a brightly lit clearing, surrounded by a dense thicket of cherry trees. The angry storm that been rolling through yesterday lingered; angry black clouds still covered the sky, darkening the morning.

Takashi was knelled down by the fireplace under the bathtub, stacking wood into the small fireplace.

"It's going to start raining again soon." He mumbled. He looked up as she approached and smiled. "Almost ready, I just have to start the fire and you can get in." He turned and made the hand seals. He drew in a deep breath and Sakura stepped back, recognizing the juutsu. "Fire style, fireball juutsu." He said casually as he breathed up. The blast of flames was aimed perfectly, almost all of the fire blasted into the fireplace. A few stray bits licked the walls of the bath house, but nothing caught fire.

Takashi grinned at her and she returned it with earnest. She walked over as he stood and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her and maintained the kiss for almost two minutes before they broke, and Sakura loved it. She loved the way his lips moved lazily against hers; how his hands snaked under the yukata to lovingly caress her back.

When they finally did pull apart, Takashi was smirking victoriously and Sakura was blushing like crazy. Her leg returned to the ground and Takashi laughed.

"Shut up!" She said, playfully punching him in the chest, her face turning a deeper shade of crimson. She stormed off into the bath house, fuming. She threw off the yukata and pulled the tank top over her head, tossing it to the floor. She walked over to the tub and pulled out a small pink bottle and opened the cap, pouring some of it into the tub. Dipping her hand in she shifted the water, and soon the smell of strawberries reached her nose. She smiled and stood, hooking her thumbs through her incredibly short shorts and slid them down her long, pale legs. By now, the water had been turned a light pink shade, and large clumps of pink bubbles had formed on top of the water.

Sakura moaned as she entered the tub, basking in the feel of the hot, sweet smelling water on her skin. After a while she set to work on washing herself. She loved the feel of the shampoo in her hair, washing all the sweat from the night away.

Finally, after almost an hour she rinsed off and got out of the now tepid water. She wrapped herself in a fluffy bath towel and packed her bath things and her sleeping clothes back into her small bag. It was still dark and dreary outside when she opened the door. The clouds were darker than before, threatening more rain. The cool drops had already begun to fall in a soft drizzle around her.

She slipped on the straw sandals and walked fast back towards the main building. She entered it in a hurry and almost tackled Inubo.

"Hey missy, watch out there." He said as he caught her by her waist. "Wouldn't want to get hurt, would you?" He asked, grinning.

Sakura blushed and straightened up, smoothing the towel back down over her thighs.

"Uh, sorry… It was raining and I…" She yammered. "Uh, where's Takashi-kun?" She asked, trying to avoid the subject.

"Oh he just took a shower a minute ago, so he's getting Kaoru to put some fresh bandages on him." Inubo said with a smile.

Sakura thanked him hurriedly and walked back to her room without another word, the blush apparently a permanent fixture on her face.

She entered her small room and walked over to the small bathroom adjoined to it. There wasn't much, just a toilet and a sink. It felt cramped in the small room, but she'd only need to be in here for a minute anyway. She brushed her teeth furiously, finally spitting the foamy mixture of spit and toothpaste from her mouth before gargling some mouthwash.

She exited the small bathroom and smiled to herself. A pile of fresh clothes waited for her on her now rolled up futon. She pulled on the fresh clothes hurriedly and sat down before her mirror. She'd decided to forgo the blue zip up shirt and stick with the black t, and neglected the gloves and other shinobi gear as well. It took her a while to get used to the idea of being completely safe here.

After brushing her hair she decided to go find Takashi. Spending the day together seemed like a rather enjoyable way to pass the time.

When she left her room it was pouring down rain again. She sighed heavily and followed the walkway around and entered the main building.

She jumped when the door opened when she was inches away. Takashi was standing there in mid walk. On hand was on the door and the other was settling his black long sleeve shirt back into place. Sakura caught a glimpse of the fresh white bandages that bound his frame.

He smiled warmly at her and gently pushed past her. She followed him, curious.

"Where are you going, Tashi-kun?" She asked as she quietly followed him.

"One of our rooms; whichever one you prefer." He said conversationally. "I figure since it's raining, we could spend the day together and just relax." He said softly.

"Fine, let's go to your room. I'm tired of mine." She said in a sarcastically dark tone.

"Okay."

She followed him into his room, and when Sakura opened the door, she was greeted by his dark room. The futon was rolled up, but Takashi walked over and rolled it out in a few seconds and, oddly, he pulled it up against the wall. He plopped down and leaned against the wall, motioning for her to join him. She happily climbed onto his lap, snuggling into his chest.

He grabbed the small black remote and clicked on the television, flipping through the channels. With the door closed and the candles left unlit, the only light in the room came from the television. It cast a blue, soft, ethereal glow around the room. Sakura tilted her head to look at his features in the glowing light. It didn't surprise her to see his golden eyes shinning in the dim room.

Sakura sighed contentedly and buried herself into him again. She was so exhausted! It had been a very long time since she'd slept, despite the peaceful night she'd spent with him. At least the nightmares hadn't come back to her that night. His mere presence seemed to dispel them.

She closed her eyes and focused on breathing in his scent. She separated the smell of the anesthetics on his wounds, and that of the soap and shampoo he used. His true scent was low and musky, definitely a masculine scent, like a sweet mix of sweat and pine needles.

Takashi smiled as he felt her breath coming slow and even. He gently laid her out on the futon, softly laying her head on the pillow. He brushed the stray locks of hair out of her face, a warm smile etched on his face. Sakura stirred slightly as he placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Shh." He whispered. "Sleep my love, you need your rest." He whispered in her ear, and she sighed his name in her sleep. He lay down next to her and pulled her into his possessive embrace. He sighed contentedly. She smelled sweet; the scent of her strawberry shampoo lingered, and Takashi buried his nose in her hair and inhaled deeply. "My love… How could I ever live without you?" He asked aloud. No answer came, and soon he was drifting off to sleep as well.

Sakura stirred gently, and opened her dazzling green eyes to survey her surrounding. She was warm and laying on something soft. Her arms were trapped between her chest and something rock hard and very, very warm. She looked up, and Takashi's eyes were wide open, staring at the television screen with obvious apathy.

She cuddled closer to him, and he looked down at her, his eyes suddenly focused.

"What is it my love, did I disturb you?" He asked in a concerned tone. She smiled at him and leaned up in his slackened embrace to kiss him. This one was just as long and loving as the previous, and she grinned happily when they broke. He was smiling too, as his hands traced her collar bone and swept down to caress her back.

"Nothing's wrong. I just woke up." She said sweetly as she played with stray strands of his hair. She pulled back just in time to feel a blast of cool spring air as the door flew open with a dull thud.

Inubo stood in the doorway, his normal grin replaced by a scowl set deep into his features.

"Kaoru said you can come get your lunch, if you're hungry." He said, refusing to look at the scene. He stormed away, slamming the door shut behind him.

"What the hell's his problem?" She growled, turning back to Takashi.

"It's simple really." He said with a low sigh. "He hasn't forgiven me for leaving him behind, and he's furious at me for hurting you so deeply." He said darkly.

"How can you be so sure?" She asked; the annoyance still evident in her voice.

He looked down at her, the Sharingan spinning. She gasped. It was the same shade of gold as his eyes! She also noticed something else strange about his Sharingan, but it was gone before she could pinpoint it.

"That's why he looked away as soon as he walked in." He said in a bored tone. He suddenly released her and got up. "Come on; when Kaoru says to do something, you'd better do it." He said in an extremely bored tone.

"Yeah, I'm starving." She added, accepting his hand. He pulled her up with evident ease. The muscles in his arm barely flexed at all as he lifted her from the futon. They left the room together, side by side, and entered the dojo.

"Good afternoon, sleeping beauty." Kakashi said in a sing-song voice.

"Shut up, Kakashi." Takashi said in an irritated tone.

"It's so nice to see you truly awake for the first time in so long." Kakashi continued. Sakura scowled at him playfully before sitting down around the small table next to Takashi. "It seems true loves first kiss does hold some power after…" Kakashi was silenced by a stiff right hook from Kaoru.

"Don't listen to him, honey, we're all glad to see you up and around." Kaoru said, placing two plates of food in front of her and Takashi. Sakura thanked her and dug in, happily talking with Kaoru about the shopping she'd done the other day. Takashi smiled, having barely touched his food, as he listened to Sakura talk about the menial things she needed or those she was dying to have. He made a mental note to take her shopping at some point.

Kenshin stood, and walked over to a door to their right. He stopped and motioned for Takashi to follow him. Takashi looked over to Sakura, and her eyes were panicked.

"What if it's something bad?" She thought frantically. If it was, he would surely leave her again wouldn't he? Even if it was just to protect her, Sakura couldn't allow him to leave!

Takashi looked back to Kenshin, shaking his head no. Kenshin gave a knowing smile and left to train on his own. Sakura smiled brightly and locked her arms around Takashi's right. He smiled at her and leaned down to kiss her. This one only lasted for a few seconds, if that, considering they weren't alone.

The rest of the afternoon went on in the same manner. Sakura clung to him, terrified he'd leave again, and he would gently kiss her and remind her that he was here to stay.

After a while they left the compound, and for some reason she'd never know, they were headed toward the main gate of Hitsuya. She kept giving him quizzical looks as they walked down the lane. It was a long walk to the south gate. It was the only one that was safe enough for them to try to pass through, and they had to pass through the worst part of Hitsuya to get there. It was one of the only places that guards didn't heavily populate. There was a reason they didn't. It was heavily populated by yakuza.

Even so, Sakura wasn't worried. She was a gifted fighter and Takashi… was just Takashi. Nothing ever seemed to hurt him.

Takashi was still smiling as they entered the rundown district. Sakura looked around warily; her nails began to dig into his arm as she saw a large group of men standing next to a small tea house. They reminded her of the men in the forest.

"No!" She thought furiously. "They're dead. They're dead. They're dead." She chanted in her head, but her breathing quickened.

Takashi chuckled, and as much as it pissed her off, it managed to calm her a bit.

"Don't worry. We'll take the scenic rout home." He whispered to her. She quirked an eyebrow, but her turned to look ahead.

Even though he'd dispelled her fears, Takashi was still mildly agitated. They were mere men, not shinobi, but without his sword, he felt weak and vulnerable.

After almost an hours walk, the massive white gate came into view. It reminded her of the Konoha boundary wall. The massive steel gate was half way down in the thirty foot archway, barely casting a shadow in the high noon sun. They'd been given a reprieve from the rain, but Kaoru had assured her that another system would be moving in late that night, so she didn't look for this little trip to last very long.

She looked back at the angry black clouds slowly seeping across the mountains to the north, and she shivered. That was going to be a bad storm. She could feel it. Takashi felt her shiver and looked over at her.

"You alright?" He asked in a concerned tone.

"I'm fine." She said, still looking back at the clouds. Her eyes fell, and she just barely caught a glimpse of someone stepping behind a building hurriedly. Her eyes snapped forward again. "We're being followed." She said in a low tone.

"I know. Don't worry they're no threat to us. We'll be long gone by the time they pass the gate." He said, but she noticed his eyes were hardened, readying to lash lash out against any threat. "They're just Yakuza." He said after a while. "No threat there; not to us, anyway." He added that last bit as more of an after thought.

They passed a group of men standing at a corner, staring, and his hand caught hers, her left hand raised to grip his arm as he intertwined his fingers with hers. Sakura almost giggled as a protective growl emanated from him. She would have, if his eyes hadn't shone with a demonic power as the noise the left him. The men noticed this and back away, shocked, before turning and hurrying down an alley. After a few minutes, he smiled triumphantly.

"No ones following us anymore." He said, grinning like a child who just won a game of tag. She rolled her eyes, laughing. "What?" He asked in a sarcastic tone. "It worked, didn't it?"

She laughed again. They passed through the gate with ease, despite the curious gazes of the guards that surrounded them. He led her into the trees off to the side. Small drops of water were still dripping from the trees from the previous rain. They fell to splash annoyingly on her head. Sakura was getting annoyed.

He turned to her suddenly, a Cheshire grin plastered on his face.

"What?" She asked in an utterly confused tone.

"Hop on." Takashi said, turning his back to her. Sakura quirked an eyebrow at him. "Trust me, Sakura-chan." He said with a soft smile. She gave him a wary look before climbing onto the Uchiha's back. "Hold on tight now, and you might want to close your eyes. Kaoru got a little nauseas when I had to carry her the last time." He said with a grin. She locked her arms around his neck and hooked her legs around his slim waist.

"What are you…?" She began, but was silenced when she felt his knees bend. She was almost dislodged by a mighty blast of air as Takashi shot forward. Sakura would have screamed if she had any breath in her lungs. She buried her head into his shoulder, and when she was finally able to take a breath, she leaned her head up.

Takashi was moving faster than any living being she'd ever seen. The only person she'd ever known who could move that fast was Rock Lee, and he had to open all his chakra gates to do it. The trees flew by in blurs of green as he practically flew through the dense forest. She suddenly felt exhilarated. Excitement coursed through her and she grinned at the feel of the warm air blasting through her hair.

She caught a glimpse of Takashi's face when he looked back at her, his body deftly moving through the trees, despite his change of focus. Sakura hadn't seen him look so happy in a very long time. He was grinning from ear to ear. His eyes burned with exhilaration and his body felt completely loose.

"FASTER!" She yelled over the roar of wind in her ear.

"YOU SURE?" He asked, grinning.

"DO IT!"

"HANG ON TIGHT!" He yelled back with a wicked grin. Takashi's eyes glowed as he unleashed his speed and Sakura knew by the gale force blast of wind they had all but disappeared. She yelled in her exuberance.

Takashi was in heaven. He loved the freedom his newfound speed offered him. He loved the feel of the wind blasting at his lithe body as he carved through it with the greatest ease. He loved the way Sakura yelled happily in his ear, enjoying it just as much as he did. The smile didn't leave his face, even when they landed at his intended destination.

Sakura was crushed against his back with the severity of his sudden stop. Her breath left her lungs with a dull whooshing sound and her grip became nonexistent. She fell to the ground with a dull thud, flat on her back.

Takashi was kneeled down beside her in seconds with a concerned look on his face, but to his amazement, she was laughing!

"Oh Takashi that was incredible!" She cried. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she pulled him down for another long kiss. They were both grinning when they broke apart, and Takashi helped her up from the ground. "That was… that was…" She tried, but she couldn't articulate words to describe the exhilarating experience.

"That's only the half of it my love." He whispered in her ear. He pulled back, grinning, and stood aside. Sakura nearly fainted.

They were on top of a low plateau, surrounded by the blossoming cherry trees. The light, warm breeze rustled the cherry blossoms on the ground around them, blowing them up around them. She'd noticed earlier that the grass around them was dry and felt soft and cool. The rains hadn't touched this place. But that wasn't even the best part. Before them, across the gap between the two cliffs, was a towering waterfall, falling from the plateau almost four hundred feet above the ground, not to mention their current height above sea level. The sparkling water cast a rainbow in its wake.

"Oh my god…" She stammered, trying her hardest not to faint. "It's… incredible Tashi-kun… it's gorgeous!" She cried, practically tackling the Uchiha to the ground. He allowed himself to fall (there's no way in hell she could really tackle him) and wrapped his arms around her. They kissed again, for what seemed like forever. Sakura didn't want to break it. She was afraid this wasn't real. It couldn't be real. It just couldn't. This had to be a dream. Why else would it be so perfect?

Takashi seemed just as content to continue the kiss as she was. They kissed for what felt like hours, at least until Takashi pulled back, and the burning sensation in her chest commanded her to breath. She took a great gasping breath of air and Takashi laughed. She noticed how free, how open it sounded. For possibly the first time in all the time she'd known him, he was completely content. In this moment, Takashi Uchiha was truly happy, for the first time since the massacre, he was happy.

"So how'd you do it?" She asked as she toyed with the loose strands of hair in his ponytail. She hadn't stopped smiling all day, and that happy grin seemed stuck on his face. It was strange to her, yet elating at the same time to see him so open. Even before he left he'd been cautious around her, always staying carefully reserved and collected. All the barriers had finally fallen, she'd realized. This was proof that he was completely in love with her, and that he was finally open to her, as a man, as a friend, and as a lover.

"Do what my love?" He asked as his fingers followed the now familiar path from her cheek bones to her jaw, down to her collar bones, and then finished to the small of her back, gently caressing the flesh his deft fingers had exposed.

"Move so fast! How can anyone move like that? The only person I've ever known who could do that was a man named Rock Lee, and he could only do it by opening the lion's share of his chakra gates!" She ranted. He laughed.

"Come on Sakura, that's easy." He said; laughter evident in his voice. "I was already inhumanly fast before I left. It wasn't hard to train my body to move faster than that, especially with Kenshin's help." He said conversationally as both their right hands rose, their fingers taking turns caressing the others as he spoke. They were lying on their sides now, almost completely mirroring the scene in the bedroom that morning. Takashi was resting his head on left arm, while Sakura's head was held up by her arm, their legs intertwined.

"Kenshin can move that fast as well?" She asked, astonished.

"Well, sort of. I can move faster than him, but only because his speed is directed more into his kenjutsu. I can focus it in other ways thanks to my shinobi training. Besides, I've always been a bit faster than him anyway; he's just able to counter me easily because he knows every move I know."

"Because he taught you everything you know, right?" She asked in a matter of fact tone.

"Not all of it. My genin sensei was a man named Ichigo Mataro. He died a long time ago, though. Kenshin was my second sensei, and Kakashi was sort of… a guiding influence for me when I joined the Anbu Black Ops. After that I went through their training and eventually joined the ASTO. And then I came here to ask for Kenshin's help with my training eight months ago." He said conversationally. He laughed suddenly.

"What?"

"I was just thinking of my first day in the ASTO. I'd just been assigned to my squad when the old man gave the order to send us to Hitsuya. I was so happy Inubo was on my squad." He said with a low chuckle. His hand left hers to play with her hair, while she did the same.

"You knew Inubo before you went to Hitsuya?"

"Hai, Inubo and I met for the first time when I was seven. He still looks pretty much the same as he did back then, come to think of it." He added. Sakura gaped at him.

"How old is he?"

"Forty two now; he was thirty one when I met him. He's always been a bit of rouge, that one."

"Who is he?" She asked blankly.

"Well, Inubo's past wasn't as happy as mine was." He said sarcastically. "His father was a Hyuuga, and his mother an Uchiha. At the time, it was forbidden in both clans for them to be together, so when they found out he'd been "created" so to speak, they were forced to flee the village. The lived somewhere in what's now the Sound. It's the land of Rice, I think. They moved a lot from what he told me, lying low. His father trained him how to use the gentle fist at an early age, and his mother taught him how to use the Sharingan. You see, Inubo can use both, thanks to his mixed blood. Along with a neat little talent called the Byaringan, but I'll let him explain it to you later. Anyway, the assassins from the Hyuuga clan found them eventually, and his parents were killed right in front of his eyes. After that, he drifted for a while, honing his own skills. That's all I know about him up until nine years ago, when he happened upon your's truly training at the riverside. He made fun of me for being a kid and I kicked his ass. We've been friends ever since."

Sakura stared at him with an opened mouth gape.

"So, wait, he's a Hyuuga/Uchiha hybrid?"

"Yes." He said as his lips pressed against her forehead. He liked kissing her. It was better than any sake, and just as intoxicating.

Sakura's head swam as she wrapped her mind around the incredibly tall warrior's past. So he'd seen his parents murdered before his eyes, then, years later, got the crap beat out of him by a seven year old, and they became best friends? Well that sounded sane, didn't it?

She finally decided to push the thoughts from her mind, residing to playing with her lover's bangs while she sneaked a few gentle caresses of his pale face here and there. Her eyes rose to study the beauty of this place once again, and he smiled as she nuzzled the hand cupping her cheek.

"Takashi, this place is gorgeous. How did you find it?" She asked, nuzzling his palm again as her hands rose to cup the on stroking her face.

"It wasn't hard. Sensei had pissed me off, I don't remember how, and I ran off. After a while I ended up here. Ever since this place has been sort of a safe haven for me; whenever I needed to be alone I'd just come here." He said, smiling warmly at her. "To be honest, I'm not quiet sure why I brought you here. I guess I just wanted to share the beauty of this place with you." He mumbled.

"I'm glad you did." Sakura whispered, leaning down for yet another soul searing kiss. She whimpered into the kiss and her lips moved against his. She felt his smirk as he kissed her back, and she made a mental note to hurt him later.

He pulled back, the grin still stuck on his face. Sakura hoped it would stay. It only added to his gorgeousness factor, which, many months ago, before he left, she and Ino had determined to be far above a ten. Maybe a ten thousand…

It was this thought that stabbed her heart with pain. In her darkness, Sakura had neglected her friendship with Ino the most, despite her best friend's efforts to restore her broken soul. Sakura decided in that moment that when she returned to Konoha she would do everything in her power to fix all the damage she'd done in her darkest time. Now that he was back in her life and there to stay, all seemed perfect to her.

She looked up into the face of her lover. He was still grinning at her. It does suit him better, she decided. The old scowl her wore all the time before didn't seem to suit him very well at all now. It did back when his eyes were dark and brooding, but now they were bright and alive, and the grin seemed completely natural with those eyes. But, the look of anger still did kind of suit him. The memory of the first time she'd seen those eyes was still vivid in her mind; a constant, grim reminder of the terrible power he was capable of.

The rest of the afternoon passed by delightfully slow, and the two lovers lay in the soft grass, talking and laughing with each other. Every now and then, their eyes would lock, and they would lean in and kiss each other senseless.

Sakura grinned sheepishly as she pulled back, removing her hand from his now destroyed ponytail. He merely smiled at her, leaned up, and pulled the band out, allowing his hair to fall in a dark curtain around them. With a smirk on his face, he leaned down and kissed her again, before pulling back up. Stray locks of his hair brushed her face and Sakura turned her head into them, inhaling its scent as her fingers combed through the long strands.

It smelled like him, that musky scent, along with the pleasing scent of his shampoo. She remembered finding a bottle of body wash in his bag long ago, and she assumed that was it. It was a pleasing, spicy scent, just like the rest of him, and she inhaled it deeply. She heard him give a low chuckle and felt his lips descend on hers yet again.

He couldn't get enough of her. He loved her eyes, her soft pink lips, and her pale, smooth, soft skin. He loved her warm smile, and the way her eyes shined with love every time she looked at him. He could feel all the love she poured into the kiss, all the need. He kissed her back with just as much, maybe more, and soon she was whimpering against his lips as he kissed her.

Takashi pulled back, but she pulled him down for another kiss. He chuckled against her lips, and she gave another soft whimper. After what felt like an eternity she pulled back, releasing her grip on his neck. He was grinning from ear to ear as he pulled back. His eyes flicked to the right, and he sighed.

"You have to see this." He said, moving back. He grabbed her hand and sat her up next to him, moving back. His hair moved in the gentle breeze, the burning light of the sunset cast his features in a fiery glow. "This is my favorite part." He whispered. As he turned, the view behind him was revealed to her, and she almost did faint this time.

The sun was setting below the clouds on the horizon just to the right, casting a burning red glow on them. The light sparkled off the torrents of water falling before them, shinning brilliantly. The trees swayed in the warm breeze; stray blossoms flew by weightlessly in the pleasant wind.

She looked over at him, and he wore that warm, soft smile she loved, but this one wasn't worn like so many before. It was soft, and completely content. His eyes were dim and peaceful as he surveyed the scene.

Sakura moved next to him, and he wrapped his arms around her, allowing her to lay her head on his chest as they watched the sun fade beyond the horizon.

"Takashi?" She asked.

"Hmm?" he asked, with a serene look on his face.

"Thank you; for everything you've done for me today. Thank you for bringing me to this beautiful place; thank you for making me happier than I've been in years." She said in a grateful tone. Takashi smiled at her and kissed her deeply.

"Don't ever thank me." He whispered. "What I've done today is hardly atonement for the pain I've caused you. I can never atone for the hurt I've inflicted on you."

"Well," She began, scooting into his lap as she spoke, "I think it's a start, and who knows, maybe one day you will. And maybe one day I can heal that chasm in your heart." She said in a soft, loving tone, before claiming his lips again. "Um, Takashi…" She started, pulling away from his lips to stare into his bewildered face.

"What is it my love?" He asked, his thumb running over her cheek as he spoke.

"I…" She stammered, a blush spreading on her face. "I wanted to apologize to you. I never explained why I didn't want to have sex with you." She said hurriedly, a fierce blush on her cheeks. Takashi fought the urge to laugh and allowed his confusion to take over.

"I told you I don't care if we wait." He said, pulling her into his possessive embrace.

"But I want you to know why. It's been eating away at me for a while now, and I need to get it off my chest." She said, softly.

"If it makes you happy my love." He said in a loving tone, his hold on her slackened as he spoke enough to where she could look him in the eye.

"Well, you see… I… I kind of regretted having sex with you in the first place…" She mumbled. She looked up, and her heart broke. His expression was one of mild shock and hurt, but he managed to stay composed.

"I understand… I kind of regretted it as well." He said after a few moments.

"What?" She practically barked.

"Well, your emotional state was very unstable at the time, and you were already starved for love thanks to my fool of a brother; I always thought I kind of took advantage of you." He said in a sad tone.

"I didn't say I didn't love every moment of it!" She said hurriedly. Her heart broke when the smile left his face. She hated to see him sad, and hated herself for being the cause of it. "I just always thought I would stay a virgin until marriage, you know?"

"I'm sorry, my love. I didn't mean to go against your wishes. I guess I just couldn't control the beast within." He said. A sarcastic laugh emitted from the young Uchiha as he spoke.

"No! Don't be mad at yourself, it's just… I guess the real reason I didn't let you ravage me where we sat yesterday was because…"

"You can tell me, my love. I won't be mad." He whispered in her ear. He placed a soft kiss on her temple as he pulled away, smiling warmly.

"Well… It's just that I got this crazy idea in my head that if we had sex you might just use me like you did last time for a good fuck then run out on me again." She said hurriedly. Sakura doubted that she'd said it in more than one breath. To her utter shock, he chuckled. "You're not mad?" She asked, astonished.

"Of course I'm not. I figured you'd think that. I mean, you had to have tried to find some way sully me after I hurt you. I expected something like this. But don't worry, my love, I'm fine to wait as long as you want. I'd wait till judgment day just to be with you." He said, smiling that warm smile that melted her heart.

"Thanks for understanding Tashi-kun. I just didn't want you to feel hurt or anything because of me."

"It's all right my love."

"I do want to make love to you again; I'm just not ready to go that far with you again, not just yet, anyway." She said. She grinned at his soft smile. He pulled her in for a kiss, and she crushed herself against him.

They were broken early by a rumbling growl from Sakura's stomach.

Takashi laughed loudly as she blushed.

"We should get back. It's already dark." He said as he stood. He helped her up off the ground and she pouted when he refastened his hair into its low ponytail. She climbed onto his back, and soon they were soaring through the trees at his breakneck speed. Sakura was just as ecstatic as before, yelling for him to go faster. He obeyed and sped up, reveling in the feel of the wind blasting through his hair and whistling in his ears as he moved.

Once again she was crushed against his chest when he stopped, and she fell to the ground again. She laughed hard, and Takashi smiled at her as he helped her up.

"That's gonna take some getting used to." She said between fits of laughter.

"Sakura, we're gonna have to hop the wall." He said; he motioned for her to climb back onto his back again, and she gaped at him.

"Then why did we stop? Just so you could see me fall flat on my ass again?" She said in an angry tone.

"I had to see if it was safe." He said in a dismissive tone. Sakura sighed and climbed onto his back. "Hang on."

They rocketed upward, the sudden blast of cool night air sent chills down her spine. She felt the resistance of the wall's top beneath them, and a few startled cries, but her ears were once again filled with the sound of rushing air as he moved. Her hands felt the muscles in his neck moving slightly, and she knew he must be saying something, but he was moving so fast now that hearing anything other than the rush of air in her ears became an impossible task.

"Damn…" He growled, not caring that his words were lost, even to himself, in the roar of the wind. "We were spotted. Shit."

Sakura screamed as he suddenly leapt much higher than the rooftops whizzing by in multicolored blurs beneath them and did and acrobatic spin in the air and dove off to the side.

She buried her head in his shoulder, her eyes closed tight. Her grip on him tightened to the point that any other man would have been choked to death, but he didn't notice.

She was dislodged when he stopped, but she didn't fall this time. She slowly released him, and after a moment she managed to get back down onto her feet. She almost screamed as he spun around in front of her so fast she barely saw the movement. He was crushing her to him in seconds, and she realized her knees had given out.

"What… why?" She managed to say. Her head was swimming, and she felt nauseas.

"We were being followed, I had to loose them. I'm sorry, my love." He whispered in her ear. "I'm sorry." He repeated.

"It's… okay…" She said. She was fighting desperately to find her composure. "Where are we?" She asked once her head stopped spinning.

"Back at the dojo; we're actually standing in the middle of the courtyard." He said with a low laugh.

She opened her eyes to survey their surroundings, and she gasped. They really were standing in the middle of the dojo's courtyard! Soft drops of rain fell from the sky above them, and suddenly he picked her up in a bridal fashion and they soared over under the walkway.

She looked up at him, and gaped when she saw his amused smile. She playfully slapped his chest as she laughed.

"Would you like to sleep in your room or mine tonight?" He asked; that warm smile back on his face.

"Yours; mine still feels dark and depressing." She said into his chest. She breathed deeply and inhaled his scent, reveling in it.

She barely heard the sound of the door sliding open and his soft footsteps against the wood. Before she realized where they were he was standing her upright, a soft laugh rumbling in his chest.

"It seems Kaoru predicted where you would be sleeping tonight." He said, laughing. Sakura turned in his arms to find her sleeping clothes folded on Takashi's pillow. She laughed.

"Apparently." She said with a laugh. She left his arms and walked over, picking up the two light garments. "Turn." She commanded. Takashi smiled and obeyed. The Uchiha walked over and switched on the television with one hand, as the other closed the door behind him. "Thanks." She called over her shoulder as she pulled the tank top over her bare chest.

"You're welcome." He said absentmindedly, his eyes glued to the small screen. Takashi was absorbed in the news. "Not good." He mumbled.

"What is it?" She asked as she shed her pants and panties, adding them to the pile of clothes on the floor. He didn't answer her. She pulled her shorts on and walked up behind him. "Takashi, what's going on?" She asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Oh, it's nothing." He said with a smile, turning to her. His hand slyly switched the channel as he moved. It was some horror movie on now, and Sakura was settling the blankets on his futon when a scream from the small box made her jump. Takashi laughed softly and she scowled at him. Takashi merely smirked at her as he removed his sandals and the thick leather belt around his waist.

She lay down on the futon and stretched her gorgeous body with a low sigh of content.

Takashi grinned at her and lay down next to her, allowing the pink haired girl to bury herself against him. He wrapped his arms around her, once again gripping her in a possessive hold. She didn't mind it, though. It made her feel safe. It made her feel that in that moment, there was nothing but them.

They kissed again, long and sweet, and when they broke, her eyes were half lidded.

"Sleep now, Sakura." He whispered in her ear. Sakura happily obeyed and buried herself against his chest, intertwining her legs with his.

He gently ran his fingers through her hair, and the gentle show of affection calmed her greatly. Soon she was drifting off to sleep in his arms.

"Sleep well my love." He whispered, placing a soft kiss on her forehead before giving in to the sweet embrace himself.

A/N

...... sorry for the extremely long wait. I lost internet at home and my laptop had blocks on it. Anyways, this is chap six. I know, it's epically long, but there was a lot to cover. I've written two more chapters on this scale, but I've been really busy lately and have the writers block from hell, so I haven't written past nine yet. I hate to say it, but the same length of a wait may occur for more. Sorry.


	7. Die by the blade or live by her heart

Prayer of the Refugee

Chapter 7

Die by the blade or live by her heart, a warrior's decision

Sakura woke with a start, her eyes flying open. She was warm under the thick blankets, but she was alone. Her mind struggled to remember where she was, and then it hit her. She was in Takashi's room. They'd slept next to each other the previous night, but now she was alone.

"Takashi?" She called, lifting her body a little of the mattress. He wasn't in the small room anymore, but she knew he hadn't left her. His sandals and belt lay in the floor where he left them the previous night, and his sword was still resting upright in the crevice between the bookcase and the wall to her right. The L.E.D lights of his clock showed the time to be seven thirty in the morning.

As she moved the blankets were disturbed and she caught a whiff of his scent off them. She lay back down, burying her face in the pillow and inhaling deeply. She sighed contentedly as she pulled the heavy blankets back over her body. She saw no reason why she couldn't sleep in, so she allowed the warmth enveloped her and soon she was drifting again, her consciousness slowly ebbing away.

Her mind drifted to the previous day, and the heavenly time she spent with her love. The place was absolutely gorgeous, and she'd loved the time she'd spent with him. For the first time nothing dark had hung over them. There was nothing to worry about in that moment. The final, climactic battle with Kaitsu seemed so far away to them. She had succeeded in memorizing every detail of that day: the sights, the smells, the way the rainbow formed from the waterfall, the way his eyes looked in the burning light of the setting sun. If that was the last time she got to be with him in a truly peaceful setting, she wanted to remember every detail of it.

Eventually her mind clouded and she allowed her mind to blank as sleep finally overtook her.

"Takashi…" She mumbled unconsciously as she drifted.

Takashi stepped through the small door, a grimace etched onto his face at the heavy rain.

"If it keeps raining like this it will flood in the lower districts." He mumbled. He wasn't wearing his shirt, and was covered by fresh, white bandages. There were far fewer than before, having healed all the injuries he could reach himself. They only covered his mid-torso now. His long hair was loose and shone damp in the dim light.

A smile spread on his face as he saw her, curled up in his bed asleep with a serene look on her face. Her breaths were deep and even, unsettling the stray bangs that had fallen into her face as she slept. Good, her dreams were untroubled. That was always good new to him. He knew that before, just three short days ago, she would've be writhing, moaning his name with tears streaking down her face. She'd wake up screaming; screaming for him not to go, begging him to stay, or screaming for him to come back to her, to be with her again. The thought made a wave of nausea spill over him as his smile turned into a look of deep sadness and pain

He was the one who'd torn her heart out. He was the man who'd broken her. It was his fault she'd woken up every night screaming for the last eight months. It was his fault that she couldn't go a second without having her mind and soul consumed by the excruciating pain of loss. Takashi might have well have ripped it out and crushed it in his hands. A hole was left where her love for him had once been. It was a gaping, bleeding void that seemed to go on and on. Even though he'd started to heal her wounded heart, the damage could never be completely undone, and he knew it.

He felt a tear slide down his face, and he wiped it away with the back of his right hand. Sakura was stirring now, and he was pulling his long sleeve, tight black shirt over his head when her eyes opened. Her green orbs opened slowly, and when they caught sight of him, she grinned.

She sat up sleepily, her legs folded and sticking out towards the end of the bed, her right hand holding her up, and wiped the sleep from her eyes, giving a soft yawn. One of the straps to her tank top had fallen from her shoulder and her hair was messy; stray strands of bubblegum pink poking out in random directions.

"Good morning, my love." He said in a loving tone as he leaned down to kiss her deeply. When he pulled away she was smiling softly at him. She ran her hands through his now dry hair, loving the feel of the silk-like strands.

"Good morning, Tashi-kun." She said.

"How'd you sleep?" He asked. He stood up and grabbed his belt, feeding the thick leather through his pants as he spoke. She almost whimpered when he pulled his long dark hair up into its low ponytail.

"Great!" She said; her arms lifted above her head and her fingers interlocked as she stretched her gorgeous body. She stood, preparing to roll up the futon when he put his hand up to stop her. "What is it?" She asked.

"I've already had my shower for the day, and I'm sure you want one. Why don't you go get your things from your room and I'll get the fire going for you?" He asked with a soft grin. She pouted at him.

"Are you saying that I stink?" She asked; her arms folded across her chest.

"Not at all, I just thought you'd want to get a shower before we left." He said in an amused tone. Her eyebrow quirked as he spoke those last few words.

"Where are we going?" She asked. Her voice hid her paranoia, but it didn't stop the white hot flash of fear and mild hysteria that coursed through her.

"Kakashi and I are going to spar. My ninjutsu, genjutsu, and kenjutsu are all above average, but my taijuutsu us a little rusty. . I've been using ken for so long it seems that my skill in that area has grown a little lax." He said with that soft smile. Sakura was greatly relieved. He was going to train, but he was taking her with him. He wasn't leaving her again. The thought suddenly seemed so irrational to her. He'd sworn to never leave her again, so why was she so ready to believe he was about to?

Sakura pulled on one of his dark blue yukata and left the room. Her footfalls were no more than soft thumps on the wood as she hurried around the walkway to her room. Once inside she walked over and grabbed the beaded bag that contained her bath supplies. She smiled as she exited the room into the warm spring morning. It was pouring rain, and she wondered vaguely if they were going to train in the rain.

She opened the door to find Takashi standing there waiting for her, a smile on his face.

"The water's ready for you." He said.

"So why are you blocking my way?" She asked, already knowing the answer. He grinned and reached his arm around her back. She got the hint and wrapped her arms around his neck as he bent and slung his arms below her knees, lifting her off her feet.

Sakura didn't mind the man-handling at all as he jumped the gap between the small overhang under the doorway to the open door of the bath house in about a second, the drops barely hitting them he moved so fast. He set her down and turned to leave, but she caught his hand.

"It's raining." She mumbled. He laughed.

"I don't think I'll be getting very wet." He said, turning again.

"Wait!" She said, tugging him back.

"What is it, Sakura-chan?" He asked. She saw the concern in his golden eyes, and she turned suddenly.

"Um… I want you to stay." She said in a barely audible voice. His eyebrow quirked as she spoke.

"Excuse me?" He said in an amused tone. This was interesting, that was for sure.

"I just… I don't feel right without you near me." She said. She turned to face him as she spoke. Tears sparkled in her eyes.

His look softened instantly as he pulled her into his arms.

"My love, it wouldn't be very wise for me to stay in here with you while you're naked. As much as I want to, I don't think I'd be able to control myself." He whispered with a wicked grin. "But don't worry, love, I'll be right outside, under that window." He said as he lovingly stroked her cheek with his fingertips. Sakura sighed against him and tilted her head up to allow him to kiss her, and kiss her he did. It wasn't long before she was whimpering against him again, and, despite her hardest efforts to control it, her leg rose into the air of its own accord. She growled angrily but they continued the deep kiss, only breaking when the need for air demanded it.

He smiled softly at her as she returned her leg to the floor, and she scowled. He laughed and turned, leaving her to her own devices as he closed the door behind himself.

Sakura stood there for almost a full minute before she turned and began to strip off her clothes. After she was rid of her clothing she added the sweet smelling oils to the bath and got in, moaning delectably as the hot water hit her skin.

Takashi, who was now standing under the small bit of overhang next to the window, shuddered at the sound. Even though he'd sworn to wait for her, he was still a man after all.

"Takashi?" She called nervously.

"Yes?" His voice came through the high window. She sighed in relief.

"Oh, it's nothing. I just wanted to make sure you were there." She said. Her head rested on her knees while her arms wrapped around her legs.

"You thought I'd leave?" He asked. She scowled at the amusement she heard in his voice.

"Asshole…" She mumbled. She dipped her head under the water and pulled it back out, smoothing her hair back over her shoulder. A soft sigh escaped her as she returned to her previous position. Her tensed muscles began to relax, and she shrugged her shoulders as her right hand rubbed the back of her neck, helping to loosen the knots in her muscles. "Tashi-kun, are you there?" She called.

"Yes, what is it, Sakura-chan?"

"I was just wondering… After you kill him, what are you going to do then?" She asked weakly. She winced at his heavy sigh.

"God willing I'll go back to Konoha and spend the rest of my days with you." He said darkly. His arms crossed behind his head as he spoke. "But I cannot promise you I'll live through this, Sakura. I think I can defeat him now, but it may not be enough." He added after a long pause. "Sakura, I might not be able to defeat him."

A long silence followed his words. Sakura didn't notice the tears that now streamed down her face. She didn't notice her muffled cry of anguish. He really didn't think he'd survive. Her mind was racing. Could he really die? Would he really not come back to her?

She didn't hear him call her name, or hear the door open a second later. She didn't notice him practically materializing next to her with his sheer speed. She didn't even know he was in the room until he wrapped her in his arms, holding her in a crushing embrace.

"Are you alright?" He asked; concern evident in his voice and expression. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest and cried. "Sakura, what is it?" He asked, his eyes searching her visible features (which were only her shoulders up, for all you perverts out there) for any sign of injury. She started to beat his chest weakly as she cried.

"You can't die!" She sobbed. His eyes softened and he held her close. "You can't die… I can't live without you…. YOU CAN'T DIE!!" She yelled. She glared at him, her eyes red and swelled from crying. Her heart broke at his expression. It was one of pure anguish and regret. Takashi's eyes darkened and Sakura cried harder at the pain she saw. She broke her gaze, unable to look him in the eyes. She buried her head into his chest and sobbed. Takashi's thumb and forefinger grasped her chin and gently lifted her head up. He leaned down and kissed her deeply. His arms wrapped around her tightly. Sakura whimpered into the kiss, and, despite herself, she kissed back. The simple show of affection seemed to calm her greatly, and to ease her fears, if only a little.

"Sakura," he whispered, "I cannot promise you that I'll live, but I'll do my best."

"That's not good enough!" She sobbed. He held her for a while, and after a while her tears slowed to a halt. "I'm sorry…" She whispered.

"Don't apologize to me." He whispered. "I don't deserve it."

He was smiling warmly at her when she pulled back. He pulled her back into his embrace and she was smiling too.

"Um…" she said into his chest after a while.

"Yes?"

"Can you get out so I can finish bathing?" She said, smirking evilly. He blushed heavily and got up, turning around. "Go on, get out you pervert!" She said playfully. He muttered an apology, his face stained crimson, and left the small wooden bath house. She smiled and began bathing herself. "So how'd you know I was crying?" She said in an apathetic voice. The soapy wash cloth felt good against her skin. Sakura loved bathing. It was always very calming to her.

"Believe it or not I sensed it. It's weird. The same thing happened the first night you came to this place, and that night in the forest. I don't know why, but I sense when you're in trouble. It's hardly ever happened on such a miniscule level, though." He said in a thoughtful tone.

"Oh."

She finished bathing in silence, pondering his words. He did seem to appear whenever she was in need. Especially when she was thinking of him, she realized. Maybe it had something to do with it. She didn't know. It seemed like every day since he'd come back into her life she learned something new about him. First that he really was in love with her, second that he was incredibly fast, and now he seemed to have a psychic connection to her! He was the strangest man she'd ever known, and the only one she couldn't live without. She'd thought Sasuke was the one, but now that she had Takashi, she knew what she felt for him was far beyond anything she'd ever felt for Sasuke.

Yes, it was strange, but the feelings she'd had for Sasuke seemed miniscule when compared for what she felt for Takashi. She'd loved Sasuke's physical attributes, but she could never have guessed at the madness that consumed him. No one could of. When it came to Takashi, there was so much more. Sasuke had wounded her when he left, but when Takashi left, even if it was to protect her, he'd ripped out a piece of her very soul. He was everything to her. He was her life, her light, her love; without him everything seemed dark.

She knew he felt the same way. She could see it in the pained expression she saw on his face mere minutes ago, and in the way he didn't just embrace her anymore. He would crush the pink haired girl against him and bury his head into the crook of her neck. She could see it in the way he would tremble unconsciously at night, moaning softly, begging for forgiveness. She'd seen it when he'd begged her to forgive him for leaving, and in the tears that had stained his normally gentle face.

It had been the first time she'd ever seen him cry, and the first time she'd ever seen him show so much emotion. The feeling was strange, now that she thought about it. He'd always seemed so stoic, so impenetrable. Then, barely seventy two hours ago, he cracked and the walls fell. He was open to her now, and all that came with it.

"Sakura-chan?" he called, his voice floating through the window.

"Yes?" She said after a moment. Large clumps of pink suds ran down her shoulders as she washed her hair. Her fingers combed expertly through the soft pink locks, removing the tangles.

"Are you alright? You've been quiet for a while now." He said. Sakura noticed the concern lingering in his voice.

"I'm fine, Tashi-kun. I was just relaxing." She said. A splash echoed in the small bathhouse as she dunked her head underwater and scrubbed the shampoo from her hair. She stood up in the tub slowly, relishing in the feel of the water sliding down her skin.

"Are you finished?"

"Yeah, I'm done." She called. She'd barely wrapped the towel around her body when he opened the door. "Hey!" She called, hurrying to cover herself. He merely smirked at her and began to gather her things, placing them into the beaded bag she carried with her. "What are you?" She began, but was silenced when he picked her up suddenly, lightly swinging her into his arms so he could carry her. He walked over to the door, Sakura in his arms and her bag around his wrist, and jumped.

He bridged the gap between the bath house and the door in less than a second, and Sakura didn't feel a single drop of rain touch them as he moved. He was grinning again, the bright smile stretching across his face. Sakura smiled warmly at him, her hand raised to lovingly caress his cheek. Her fingertips followed the line of his cheek bone, down to his jaw. They deviated from their current path suddenly, diving into his hair and pulling him down for a kiss.

When they broke, he was grinning. Sakura looked around and, to her mild surprise they were standing in the middle of her room.

"This is gonna take some getting used to." She said happily, grinning at him. He returned it with earnest and set her down. She turned to her dresser and he turned around obediently, allowing her to dress.

In truth, his mind was focused on the moments before, when he held her barely clad body in his arms. She felt warm against him, the heat from the bath water lingering. She smelled sweet, like strawberries, and it seem to endear her to him more. He loved everything about her, and would die for her in a second.

"So where are we going to train?" She said as she pulled on all her clothes. This time she dawned all of her gear. She was dressed for combat. When she turned to him he quirked an eyebrow at her. "What, you think I'm gonna let you have all the fun?" She said, smiling.

"No, I was just hoping you would sit out." He said with a grim smile. She stopped halfway in putting her hair up in a ponytail and gaped at the young, and, she couldn't help but think, devilishly handsome Uchiha before her.

"Why?" She said, anger reverberating in her seething tone. She suddenly felt chills run down her spine, and not pleasurable ones either. His eyes were hard and they glowed with that unmistakable demonic power that seemed to consume him. She took a step back without realizing it and bumped into the small dresser in her room. Fear flooded her senses and she wanted to scream as his aura filled the room, freezing the breath in her lungs. From the feel of the air alone she knew he was going to kill her.

As suddenly as the feeling had overtaken her, it was gone. His eyes softened and dimmed as he moved towards her. Her knees went weak and she felt them give out, but before she could even drop an inch she was clutched against him, the warmth of his body dispelling the gripping fear and dire cold that had flooded her.

"Sakura, I'm sorry, but I want you to stay with Kaoru while we train." He said. She looked up at him, horrified, and, to calm her, he ran his fingertips along the lines of her cheek, collar, and jaw bones. He caressed every bit of exposed flesh he could reach. "Don't be afraid. She's coming with us too. I assume she wants to make it a bit of an outing." He said with a low chuckle. His look hardened suddenly, and his face was stern. "I don't want you to train with us for a good reason." He said, taking her hand in his, raising it to his face to gently brush his lips across her knuckles. He turned her hand to cup his face, and she melted against him.

"Why?" She asked in a dumbfounded tone. Damn him to the deepest hell! As much as she wanted to yell at him, to hit him, she couldn't do anything. When he was this intimate with her, she could hardly breathe.

"Sakura…" he began, his smile dark, "Do you really think you can keep up with me?" He asked darkly. The dark haired man leaned in and kissed her and she whimpered. She was losing this battle and she knew it. She managed to find her will and pushed him away enough to where she could speak.  
"I'm not an invalid, Takashi Uchiha! I can take care of myself!" She barked. This was annoying her; he was so damn protective of her! Did he really think her that weak?

"I know that." He growled, and judging from how deep it was, she knew it was meant to end the argument. "But do you really think you're a match for me? Kakashi, maybe, and you'd be probably give Inubo a good workout but come now, Sakura. I'm stronger than you, faster than you, and I know, by far, more ways to take life than you do." He said. She scowled heavily at him. Cocky bastard, wasn't he?

"Oh, so now you're a god?" She said in an acidic tone.

"No. I just know that I could kill you with very little effort, and judging by your reaction when I just barely flared my aura, you know it as well." He growled. Sakura did know it. That thought had crossed her mind many times when she'd first met him. His eyes softened again and he pulled her against him. "Sakura, when I train, I use my full strength, and if you got hurt because of me…" He said darkly.

"But Takashi…" She started, but was silenced by the look of frustrated pain on his face.

"You don't understand, Sakura! I'm a different person in battle! I don't want you to have to stare _that_ person down! Don't you see? I could kill you with the slightest exertion of my full power! You'd never even see it coming!" He said, practically begging her. "Please, just don't try to spar with us. If you got hurt…" He trailed off. His head was bowed, and in the dim light, Sakura saw the tears begin to fall.

She wrapped her arms tighter against him, holding him close. He was really agonizing over this wasn't he? Was he serious? Would he, even if accidentally, hurt her? No, she knew he was physically incapable of hurting her, but he wasn't as sure as she was. He was terrified he'd end up killing her by accident.

"Shh, it's alright. If it matters so much to you, I'll stay out of it. I just hate to see you like this." She whispered. He pulled back from her, his head bowed.

"Forgive me… I'm so weak…" He whispered; his tone seething as he said those last three words.

"What?" She asked, shocked. "You are not weak! You're the most powerful person I've ever met! I envy your strength. And let me tell you something…" She said, her tone turning from hard to soft as she lifted his chin with her fore and middle fingers. "It takes real strength to open your self to someone. If you really were weak, you wouldn't have come back to me. You wouldn't have opened your heart to me, Takashi."

His head rose and his now dry eyes locked with hers. In seconds his lips were upon hers, moving softly in tune with them. Sakura whimpered into the kiss and ran her fingers through his hair, once again wrecking his ponytail. Takashi's arms slipped down from around her shoulders down to her waist, effectively pinning her left arm between them as he kissed her senseless. His hands stopped at the small of her back, dipping under her shirts and caressing the smooth skin of her back. Sakura sighed into his touch and her hand rested on the back of his neck, holding him to her.

They parted, barely, as Kakashi cleared his throat loudly.

"Um, I hate to interrupt, but it seems the rain's finally lifted, and Kenshin wants to leave now." He said awkwardly. He left the room without another word, though Sakura swore she heard him mumbling about needing to remember to knock from now on.

Takashi laughed. It was light and happy, like in the clearing the previous day, and it made her smile. His eyes locked with hers again, and once again, she was absorbed by the bright, but placid, gold.

"Thank you, Sakura." He whispered, leaning in for another long kiss. When they broke he lifted them up off the floor and Sakura finished fixing her hair. When she was done she walked over to him. He was fixing his ponytail, an annoyed expression on his face. "That's getting annoying." He said playfully, and she realized it was just an act. She poked him in the ribs as she walked out of the room. "Ouch." He said sarcastically. She turned around and stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed again.

It had finally stopped raining, and the sun was visible in the gaps between the docile gray clouds. Heavy drops of water fell from the trees, splashing to the ground with a light tapping sound. A cool breeze had blown down from the mountains, and both of them reveled in the cool wind on their skin.

Kaoru and the others were waiting for them at the gate to the small dojo. Kaoru was smiling brightly, Kenji held in her arms. Kenshin was smiling as well, but his was grim, knowing the violence to come. Even if they were just training, Kenshin Himura detested violence.

Kakashi was standing against the column supporting the gate, his book open. His eyes danced idly across the page, but she could tell he was nervous. The copy ninja tensed unnoticeably (except to her trained eyes, she's a medical officer, after all) as Takashi approached. Their eyes locked and he gave Takashi a grim smile before turning away from them and heading down the lane. He stopped by Inubo and whispered something. Inubo himself still refused to look at Takashi, deciding that studying the clouds would be a better use of his time.

Takashi's jaw was set as they began the long walk towards the gate. Kenji was playing happily in his stroller as Kenshin pushed him. He and Kaoru were talking aimlessly over such meaningless topics as the weather, what they would be having later that afternoon. Takashi had elected to carry the picnic basket along the long journey. It swayed slightly as he walked, his long stride shifting the contents unnoticeably. Inubo and Kakashi stayed behind the group, Inubo continuing to look at the clouds ahead of the aimlessly and Kakashi resigned to his book.

Sakura was studying the appearance of the city. It was the same as usual; a town that looked like it had been rapidly modernized, yet still held the look of an ancient city in some way. The modernization had been so rapid that parts of the city had fallen into disarray and been abandoned. This was demonstrated in the outer sections of the city, where few inhabitants remained. Most of the buildings were abandoned. The warehouse where they'd taken refuge that first night within the city walls was one such building.

It took a while for them to reach the city walls, and she noticed Kakashi and Inubo hadn't concealed themselves. Her eyes snapped to Takashi, an alarmed look on her face, but he merely quirked an eyebrow at her. The guards appeared to them, wearing black gi and white hakama. They dressed just like Takashi used to, she realized.

"These men are still our allies." Takashi said softly, his tone low so only she could hear him. "They are of the very few men left in this city who believe in justice, who haven't fallen under Kaitsu's mad will." He added darkly. The men seemed to recognize them, and although none actually saluted, there were several nods of acknowledgement. Takashi smiled grimly. "These men are willing to die to aid us. It seems that Kaitsu hasn't kept our destined battle a secret. If Kaitsu does move against the government and start a new revolution, these men will fight against him along side us."

For a long time they all walked in silence. It felt like an eternity, even though it was probably only ten or twenty minutes. They were now well past the gate and deep into the countryside. Fields lay to their right on the road, and the massive, sprawling forest lined the road to their right.

Sakura began to hum lowly, and Kaoru managed to strike up a conversation with Kenshin. Inubo and Kakashi were ahead of them, as Takashi and Sakura were walking a ways back from the rest of the group. Kakashi and Inubo were talking animatedly about something, and Sakura suspected they were trying to come up with a way to compensate for Takashi's intense speed. She highly doubted they could. Takashi was insanely fast; even if Kaoru had told them about his speed, she doubted he was moving as fast as he had when he carried her to that beautiful place.

Sakura hadn't noticed when they'd turned down a path to their right. She'd interlocked the fingers of her left hand with Takashi's right, and her right arm was raised, gently gripping his so that he was leading her. She was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she didn't notice when they'd arrived at their destination.

"We're here, my love." He whispered in her ear. Her attention returned. They were standing on the edge of a wide field. It was surrounded on all sides by the dense forest. At the end of the field was a rundown building. It looked like an old dojo, but, by the looks of it, it had long been devoid of occupants.

"Where are we?" She asked.

"This is where Kenshin trained me for the first time. This was the first place I called home after the massacre." He said darkly. She looked at him, her face full of concern. She knew he didn't like to bring up the time before the massacre up to four years ago. "Kenshin and Kaoru moved into the city when Kaoru found out she was pregnant and ever since the old dojo's been empty. Kenshin and I still use this field as a training area though." He added. Their conversation was broken by a loud sigh from Kaoru. She'd thrown out a blanket on the ground in the shadow of the trees.

The sun had finally broken through the clouds, making the temperature rise. Sakura could hear birds chirping all around them. Kaoru freed Kenji from his prison of the stroller and set the young boy on the blanket with an assorted array of toys. He giggled happily as he played.

"It's so nice to get out of the house for once!" Kaoru said happily. Her arms lifted above her head as she stretched. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a white tank top, along with shinobi sandals. Sakura fanned herself a little. It was humid, but the breeze didn't make it so bad. Still, she removed her blue cover shirt and gloves, along with her kunai holsters and pouches. She couldn't help but grimace at Takashi's grateful expression. He knew that it was her consent not to fight.

He turned and he and the other men began to cross the field. He turned back to her and smiled, and before Sakura realized she was moving she was running towards him. He caught her easily in his arms and leaned down and kissed her. She pulled back and he was looking at her with a concerned expression.

"Please, be careful." She whispered. He held her tight against her, smiling warmly at her.

"Don't worry, my love. I'll be fine." He whispered reassuringly. She sighed into his chest.

"I know… But I'm still allowed to worry, aren't I?" She said. He raised her face to look into her eyes before he kissed her again. When he pulled back, he was grinning.

"Of course, but they'll never touch me." He said; his grin widening as he spoke. She nodded and gave him a weary smile before returning to the shadow of the trees. Sakura plopped down on the blanket beside Kaoru, her arms and legs folded; a scowl on her face.

Kaoru looked over to her and, seeing her expression, laughed lightly. Kenji looked up momentarily from his toys at the noise, but returned to playing and giggling happily. Sakura glared at her incredulously, and Kaoru smiled softly.

"He only does it because he doesn't want you to get hurt." She said idly as she rummaged through the picnic basket, pulling out two bottles of water. She tossed one to her, and Sakura caught it, contemplating tossing it to the side in anger. That's when realization hit her, along with a growl from her stomach. She hadn't had a bit to eat or a single drop to drink all day. She almost ripped the cap off the water and drank it down in several gulps, almost moaning as the cool water hit her throat, sending a pleasurable sensation throughout her chest as it went down. "Thirsty, are we?" Kaoru asked, laughing behind her hand. Sakura blushed and turned her head away. "I'm just kidding, Sakura-chan, don't be so modest, geez." Kaoru said, handing her a rice ball. Sakura took it gratefully and ate it slowly, embarrassed. It was silent for about two minutes before Sakura remembered the real reason they were there. Her eyes shot in the direction the men had traveled, and she was astounded at what she saw.

Kenshin had shed his gi, revealing his thin frame. Kakashi had shed his vest and coat, wearing only a form fitting sleeveless black undershirt, and, of course, his mask. Inubo had shed his cloak, as well. All of the discarded garments lay in a pile to their left. She noticed all of their weapon holsters their as well, along with Kenshin's, and, having not noticed it before, Takashi's swords. Takashi was standing in the middle of the four, the other three forming a loose circle around him. Takashi was rigid and his eyes were closed. When they opened, she knew if she were close enough she would have screamed. The molten gold glowed angrily; in stark contrast with his now lose body. His legs didn't bend; he stood up straight as his hands balled into fists, both arms slightly bent.

"Well, here we go." She mumbled, mimicking her position in the tub earlier, her eyes glued to them.

"This is gonna be good." Kaoru said; her eyes just as intent on the scene as hers while one hand rested protectively beside Kenji. The small boy was toying with her fingers happily.

Takashi's eyes darted around. Kakashi and Kenshin were in his immediate sight, and he could fell Inubo behind him. His stance was loose and, to an untrained eye, seemed startlingly overconfident, but it was always how he preferred to face any enemy: Not bent or crouched; standing upright, facing his enemy without fear.

Kakashi and Kenshin tensed. He could sense Inubo's movements behind him, and easily ducked the high round house with blinding speed. Inubo spun in the air, his Sharingan spinning angrily, and Takashi thrust one leg out for momentum and brought his left fist up, catching the unprepared Inubo in the stomach, sending the tall warrior flying.  
Takashi barely had time to regain his composure as Kenshin and Kakashi were upon him in a second. They attacked from separate sides, both charging, fists drawn back, but they were too slow. He practically disappeared, rematerializing behind Kakashi and, grabbing him by his shoulders, yanked him back. In one fluid motion he spun, his outstretched left arm catching Kakashi squarely in the chest. The white haired shinobi recovered easily, flipping back and launching forward for an attack. He unleashed a round of punches, but Takashi easily dodged most, parrying the rest with his right.

Kakashi smirked as Kenshin appeared behind Takashi. Takashi's eyes grew wide as Kenshin swung, the solid smack of his blow echoing in the small field. Kakashi took this chance and swung as well, another loud smack echoing throughout the area.

This time it was Takashi's turn to smirk. He'd caught Kakashi's fist in his right hand, while his left had swung around and bent behind his back to catch Kenshin's. It had worked, and now his body turned as his right hand closed over Kakashi's fist, allowing his arm to straighten and grip Kenshin's now trapped fist. With a burst of strength he pulled the two attackers into the air, spinning them with ease. Kakashi was released and sent crashing to the earth about seven yards away. Kenshin was released towards the sky, effectively crashing into Inubo, who was suspended in the air. Takashi appeared in the air before them, his body spinning as he delivered a powerful kick. Kakashi had recovered, and was about to launch himself forward when the other two came crashing into him, sending him slamming to the earth.

All of this transpired in about thirty seconds, and Sakura's eyes had barely been able to follow them. The three got up and regained fighting stances. This time Kakashi bent low, his arms crossed in front of his face. His headband had been long ago lifted, and his Sharingan was spinning menacingly. Inubo mimicked Takashi's stance with a smirk on his face. Kenshin's was the oddest, and yet, Takashi knew, the deadliest of them.

His knees were bent and spread far apart, his legs shifted, his stance now sideways. One arm was raised above his head, his palm open and elbow bent, the other held horizontally before him. His eyes were solid amber, and his gaze sent a chill down Takashi's spine.

Takashi acted first this time, but unfortunately his move was expected. He'd used his speed to get behind them, but Kenshin was already moving. Takashi recognized the swift strike, but was unable to block them from their speed. Kenshin's fists connected in a barrage of bone cracking punches. He brought his fist up from a low uppercut and caught Takashi in the jaw, lifting him off the ground. Takashi growled in frustration as Kenshin dropped to the ground, an upward kick sending Takashi flying.

Inubo and Kakashi were rapidly advancing on him, and he barely had time to react. His Sharingan activated and he contorted his body. His arm connected with Kakashi's jaw as his leg slammed into Inubo's abdomen. Takashi followed through with the attack, the force behind it sending Kakashi and Inubo spiraling away. His eyes rose just in time. Kenshin was mere seconds away, fist drawn back. Takashi once again spun in midair, smacking his sensei's fist away with his left as his hand slammed into Kenshin's face. The amber eyed warrior slammed to the ground so hard he skipped across the earth for almost twenty feet.

Even so, the master swordsmen wasn't defeated, and easily back flipped back onto his feat.

Takashi growled as he yet again contorted his body in mid-air to dodge Inubo. His punch would've caught him straight in the face if Takashi hadn't leaned back in time. Said swordsmen's foot rose, catching Inubo's jaw and sending him flying back. He spun to get his bearings, and saw Kakashi coming towards him.

He barely moved his body to block the attack, simply turning form the waist and outstretching his arm. His easily caught Kakashi's fist and swung the rest of his body into a full body roundhouse. His eyes grew wide when Kakashi raised his arm and blocked the kick.

"A trap?!" He thought viciously, just in time to fell Inubo's fist connect with his kidney. He arched his back involuntarily at the pain, his teeth gritted, and the copy ninja used his hand's newfound freedom to slam it into Takashi's stomach. Takashi doubled over in mid-air, only to cry out as Kenshin's downward kick slammed into his shoulder. He was sent barreling towards the ground.

Takashi recovered quickly enough to put out his arms and legs, landing on all fours before he spun away and to his feet. Inubo's knee slammed into the earth a moment later, exactly where Takashi had landed.

The demon of the shadows barely got a chance to breathe before Kakashi and Kenshin were upon him, unleashing full on barrages. He used his only advantage to evade them: his speed. He was able to dodge most of their attacks and deflect the rest, but the other two didn't seem to want to relent. In seconds Inubo joined in, and Takashi was on the verge of getting overwhelmed. The completely and purposefully sporadic barrages of punches and kicks sent him reeling away after every blocked attack, his Sharingan useless against their random strikes. They were all over him, refusing to let him gain or lose any ground.

Sakura was left dumbfounded at the speed and brutality of the three's unrelenting barrage. Kaoru was shocked. Kenshin had warned her that Inubo might get carried away by his anger at the young Uchiha, but Kakashi, and what about Kenshin? Then his words earlier on the journey to this place entered her mind.

"Kaoru, darling, we may get a little rough out there." He'd said. He'd frowned at her amused giggle. "I'm serious. I wouldn't be surprised if it got serious enough to leave injury. It may seem cruel," he added at her appalled expression, "but the only way to get him to wear he needs to be is to force him there." He'd said; his smile still there but dark and brooding, no longer happy and full of life.

"Takashi!" Sakura yelled as their speed suddenly rose to nearly three times what it was. They four were barely visible, mere blurs on the scenery behind them, as they battled. Grunts and growls filled the air, and suddenly one of the blurs went soaring away so fast there was no way he wasn't hit. It slammed into a tree, splintering the ancient oak. Sakura was about to scream as she practically jumped to her feet. "Takashi-kun?!" She screamed. She was a bit embarrassed by the wave of relief that spread through her as recognized Inubo's slumped form.

The silver haired warrior jumped up, taking off with a violent push of his legs back to the battle, an angry growl ripping from his throat.

Another loud crack echoed as Kakashi was sent flying back. He recovered, flipping back to his feet and sliding across the field before taking off back to the battle. Before he could return, there was a blast of wind.

Takashi had ducked down, spinning his body with a violent use of his muscles and spun into a mighty kick, sending Inubo and Kenshin flying back. Takashi all but disappeared as he moved, and he was on Inubo in seconds. His hands gripped Inubo's collar as they flew (he was still in the air when Takashi caught up to him) as his feet pressed down on his chest. With a vicious growled he kicked down. Inubo slammed into the ground, the earth blasting apart beneath him, debris sent flying across the field. Takashi used his momentum to go soaring towards Kakashi at a blinding speed, shifting his body to drop kick him squarely in the chest. The copy ninja slammed into the earth just a viciously as Inubo had. The ground cracked as he was all but planted into the dirt and stone.

Takashi turned in mid-air and his eyes began frantically searching for his ex-sensei. Kenshin had disappeared, and Takashi knew that with his speed, they should have run into each other by now. He touched down lightly and slid for a few feet, his momentum carrying the warrior a bit farther than intended.

Sakura was still on her feet, her mouth open slightly. This was incredible to her. He was so fast! They were all so damned fast! Although, it seemed to her Takashi had the advantage when it came to speed.

Kenshin appeared behind Takashi, dropped to one hand as he swung into a kick. Takashi jumped, narrowly avoiding the attack. He disappeared from everyone's sight and Sakura gasped. He was almost fifty feet above them, but Kakashi and Inubo were already on top of him.

Takashi blocked their attacks with a swift kick, sending Kakashi crashing back to the earth. Inubo dodged the kick and, a growl erupting from his throat, and he and Takashi almost completely disappeared.

Sakura could hear their grunts and yells as they battled. She could see their blurred forms when they reappeared, see the ground blasting apart with the intensity of the ferocious battle. One of the forms shot away suddenly, slamming into the trees so fast it took more than one down as it slammed into the dense forest. Dust and debris flew in all directions, and Sakura screamed. She screamed again when she saw Inubo standing in the middle of the field, smirking triumphantly.

"TAKASHI!!" She screamed; her voice hysterical. Her muscles tensed, preparing to propel her forward, to go to him, but she felt a hand on her arm. She whirled around and glared at the person holding her. She barely registered that Kakashi and Kenshin had left the fight. The only thing she could think about was Takashi. "LET ME GO!" She growled, struggling pointlessly against Kakashi's iron grip.

"Sakura, Takashi and Inubo need this. There's been unease between them since he left, and the only way this is ever going to be settled is if they settle it, here and now." Kakashi said. She could tell by his tone that he was serious.

Takashi appeared from behind the trees as a dark blur against the afternoon sun. Catching Inubo off guard, he slammed into him with such force that it carried them both all the way across the field. Inubo's feet dug into the earth as they practically flew across the desolate field. He'd caught Takashi's fist, barely, in his own. Both warriors' teeth were gritted and jaw's set as the growled angrily.

They crashed into the trees, the impact blasting the landscape into nothing but debris. The crater was almost three feet deep, and Takashi and Inubo were locked at the bottom, Takashi's fist trapped in Inubo's left hand, and Inubo's right hand locked in Takashi's left. Both were growling, amber and gold shinning malevolently as they struggled to overcome the other. Inubo raised his leg, forcing Takashi back with a swift knee to the stomach, but Takashi retaliated, slamming his forehead into Inubo's, sending his mind reeling. Takashi used it to his advantage, sinking his freed fist into Inubo's stomach. Inubo cried out, simultaneously kicking Takashi in the side so hard he was sent reeling back, barely stumbling to his feet as he fought for breath. Takashi growled, but was sent flying back by a sudden kick from Inubo. The attack had caught him dead in the chest, effectively removing his breath and sending him crashing back into the middle of the field. He was up in seconds, and everyone's eyes grew wide.

He was making hand seals; seals they all knew far too well. From within the trees there was a flash of light and Inubo leapt from the forest, his bow formed, and drew back in mid-air.

"NO!" Kakashi and Kenshin yelled simultaneously, diving forward, but it was too late. Inubo fired the arrow just as Takashi raised his arm, the massive chidori sending stray bolts of chakra through the air. One struck a tree just barely to their left, and before anyone could blink Kenshin was standing before Kaoru, who'd thrown herself over Kenji, with his arms thrown out. Takashi's body spun, giving the chidori its momentum, and just as his arm rose to Inubo, the two attacks connected.

The blast nearly knocked Sakura off her feet. She screamed as the gale force wind hit her, the air roaring in their ears. Bolts of chakra ripped apart the ground, and she heard Takashi yelling; whether out of pain or simple frustration, she didn't know.

"TAKASHI!" She screamed over the roar.

Takashi was barely holding Inubo's arrow at bay, the chidori still alight in his hand. He was growling viciously and yelling as the attack pushed him backwards. When he heard Sakura scream he regained his composure, and he tried desperately to divert the attack to the ground. But the force was too great, and the two attacks merely converged.

"NO, NO, NO!" He yelled. "I CAN'T STOP IT!"

His form was eclipsed by the intense light, and Sakura screamed for him.

The explosion was so intense it knocked them all off their feet, Sakura's and Kaoru's screams lost to the ragging wind. Stone and earth were sent flying in all directions as the blast ripped across the field. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the blast dissipated, and the last bits of stone fell to the ground. Sakura was up in seconds, nearly flying to the epicenter of the blast.

He was down on one knee, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he gasped for breath. His right hand was at the center of the nearly twenty foot wide crater, his fingers burned slightly from the intensity of the chakra. Sweat was rolling off his body in sheets from the exertion, and his eyes were wide with shock.

Inubo had landed almost thirty feet away, near the tree line. His bow disappeared with a flash of light, as he was almost as exhausted as Takashi was. That arrow was far more powerful than it should have been, than he meant it to be. He could've killed everyone there. If Takashi hadn't had the foresight to use the chidori…

Takashi glared at her when she put her hand on his shoulder, and Sakura back off instantly, stepping back almost four feet.

"Sakura?!" He said as if he'd just noticed it were her. He was on his feet in seconds, crushing her against him. Sakura pushed him back. "Are you?" He began, but she cut him off.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" She yelled. "You could've killed everyone!" She said. Before she could stop herself her hand connected with his face, the dull smack resounding in the now soundless clearing. Takashi stood there, dumb struck.

"But I…!" He began angrily, but before either could speak, Kenshin was between them, viciously slamming Takashi to the ground, an evil snarl ripping from him.

"YOU ENDANGERED MY FAMILY!" He growled demonically. The air was filled with Kenji's crying, and Sakura cried out, trying desperately to pull Kenshin off of Takashi, but he threw her off with a swift movement of his arm. Sakura fell to the ground, clutching her bruised arm. Takashi's aura suddenly flared and Kenshin dove back as if he was burned, landing close to the ground, growling. Takashi stood slowly, and Sakura couldn't help but think Kenshin had awoken a sleeping devil by his slow movement.

"Don't touch her!" Takashi said. His voice, unlike Kenshin's, was calm, but filled with unbridled rage. It echoed in his tone and in the dark aura that overwhelmed them. Sakura couldn't breath it was so intense, and when it didn't relent, she started to curl into a ball, trying to scream.

Takashi's body was tense, like a viper ready to lash out as he turned the full demonic power of his eyes on his former sensei. Kenshin pulled back ever so slightly, and suddenly Kaoru's voice filled the air.

"STOP IT!" She yelled, tears streaming down her face. Kenji was in her arm crying as she pointed to Sakura. Takashi's head snapped to the side, accidentally focusing his demonic eyes on Sakura.

Sakura saw them, and, in that one instant, she was truly terrified. Her body wouldn't move and she couldn't breathe or think. The only thing she could feel was the unbridled terror his gaze set in her. Her body shivered violently at the cold his aura brought.

Takashi was upon her in seconds, his aura evaporating as his eyes filled with tears. He crushed her against him as she sobbed violently, the ability to breathe only just now returning to her.

"Oh god, Sakura I'm so sorry… I didn't mean to… I… I… Oh god, forgive me!" He stammered as he crushed her against him. Kenshin was still glaring at him.

"Don't blame him…" Inubo said. "If he hadn't used the chidori I'd have killed you all." He said; his eyes glued to the ground. Kenshin rounded on him, murderous intent in his gaze.

"I SAID STOP!" Kaoru yelled. She'd walked over to them, Kenji still sniffing in her arms. "We all knew this could end up this serious. Let's just try and be civil now, for all our sakes." She said calmly.

"He put you in danger. He is no longer welcome in my home." Kenshin said; his tone dark.

"Kenshin?!" Kaoru said incredulously. "You are not going to kick him out into a violent city just because he got a little carried away!"

"But…"

"NO! This day has already gotten screwed up enough! Let's just try and enjoy the rest of it?" She begged. Kenshin's eyes softened at her tone.

"Very well, love. I guess we can go eat." He said; his warm smile back in place. He shot one more glare in Inubo's direction and followed Kaoru back over to their spot under the trees. He cast a questioning glance towards Takashi, and the Uchiha shook his head at him. He gave a look meant to be an apology before he, Inubo, and Kaoru all walked away towards the tree line.

"Sorry…" Inubo mumbled before following the others.

Sakura sobs had quieted now. She cried softly in his arms, her body curled into a haphazard ball. He gently ran his fingers through her hair, repeatedly mumbling his apology in her ear along with his soothing touches. She finally stopped crying after almost half an hour as she clutched him, her fingers digging into his chest. She could feel him laying soft kisses on her head, his fingertips gently stroking her collarbone. She leaned up and kissed him deeply, completely melting into him as his arms shifted, wrapping around the small of her back. When they broke, he was crying softly.

"Sakura… I'm so sorry… If there's anything I can do… to make this up to you…" He whispered, half begging her. She leaned back and cupped his cheek with her hand, pulling him in for another kiss.

"It's all right, Tashi-kun." She said; despite her words, he could still hear a bit of hysteria in her voice. She was still trembling lightly in his arms. "You just scarred me, Takashi. I'll be fine… But…" She began, biting her lip.

"But what?" he asked, his eyebrow quirked.

"Well, if you really want to make it up to me…" she began, "take me to that beautiful place we went to the other day. Take me there and don't leave until I say we can." She said, burying her head into his chest. She smiled at his low chuckle.

"If that is what you wish, my love. I'll take you wherever you like." He said, chuckling.

"How about you take me back home, to Konoha?" She asked hopefully. She felt his deep sigh reverberate through his chest.

"Anywhere except that. You know that's impossible." He said heavily.

"I know, I just thought I'd try." She said; her tone just as heavy as his. She frowned at his laugh.

He helped her to her feet, and the two walked hand in hand to join the others.

The afternoon passed with little else gone awry. The only disturbance in the now happy atmosphere that surrounded them was the tension between Kenshin and Inubo. Every now and the Kenshin would glare intently at Inubo, who refused to make eye contact with anyone.

When the sun began to sink behind the clouds Kaoru stood, stretching her gorgeous body with a loud, satisfied sigh. Kenshin laughed at her.

"Well I guess that means we should be heading in." He said with a laugh. They all stood and Sakura busied herself with helping Kaoru and Kakashi pack up the supplies they brought with them. When that was finished Takashi grabbed her hand and the two followed the rest back out to the main road.

"Kaoru-dono, Sakura and I are going to be taking a little detour." He said, grinning. They had reached the long, winding road. A warm breeze floated by, a harbinger of the summer heat to come.

"Oh." She said flatly. "Well don't be too late." She said. "And be careful!" She called, but Takashi had already scooped Sakura up and they were off, soaring into the trees.

"See you later!" Sakura called, laughter echoing in her voice. She smiled knowingly at him and she placed a hand on his shoulder, easily slinging herself onto his back. He grinned mischievously. Sakura braced herself for the coming blast of air. "Let er' rip!" She said, and the second his foot touched down, they blasted off, speeding through the trees like a bullet through the barrel of a gun. He was moving just as fast as he had that day, but she'd already experienced that. Now she focused on burying her head in his shoulder; on feeling him. It had felt like an eternity since they'd been this close, even though it had only been a short while. Any moment they weren't close felt like hell to her.

She inhaled his scent as her arms encircled his chest from under his arms. She could smell the salt of his sweat. His damp shirt was barely a testament to how he was earlier. When he'd held her after the battle he was soaked in sweat. Now it left a lasting salty tinge in his scent, along with a light dampness on his skin, but she didn't mind. She leaned her head back and inhaled deeply, relishing in the fresh air and in the feel of the cool wind blasting at her sweaty skin and through her sweat dampened hair.

He stopped suddenly, and, as before, she was crushed against him by the force of his stop. Her breath flew from her lungs, but she managed, barely, to hang on. He was laughing at her when she managed to regain her breath. She climbed off of his back and looked around. Once again, her breath was taken away by the sheer beauty of this place.

The cherry trees were still blossoming, despite the ever approaching and impending summer. The grass shifted in the breeze, and stray blossoms here and there blew up into the air. The waterfall was still just as breathtaking as before, the rainbow cast from its water still just as gorgeous. All in all, little had changed.

She plopped down in the grass, laying back and stretching contentedly. Takashi sat softly next to her, though he remained sitting, one leg bent, and his arm resting on his bent knee while the other supported him, his free leg laying flat on the grass. She pulled on his arm and he looked down at her. She pouted, and he chuckled at her. Takashi lay down next to her, smiling, and kissed her deeply. He wrapped his arms around her as his legs intertwined with hers. In seconds Sakura was whimpering into the kiss, sighing contentedly as her arms wrapped around his neck.

Takashi growled as she destroyed his ponytail, and Sakura pulled back, a blush creeping up on her face. He smiled at her, and she buried her head into his chest, sighing. He ran his fingers through her hair, smirking as he wrecked _her_ ponytail, but she only clutched herself closer to him. Her arms slipped down, pinning themselves between their bodies.

"I'm sorry about earlier." He whispered.

"Don't worry about it." Sakura said impassively. She didn't want ruin the companionable silence that had grown between them. "Thank you for bringing me here, Tashi-kun." She said, snuggling deeper into his chest. She sighed as her cheek found his heart, the steady beat calming her.

"It's the least I can do." He said softly; just as content to maintain the silence as she.

"Takashi… what do you want to do with your life, after all this?" She said after a while.

"I'm not sure." He said. His eyes were following something else as he spoke, but before she could ask, his hand shot out, catching something. He pulled it around to show her. A small white flower she wasn't familiar with had gotten caught on the wind. He reached down and slid it into her hair just above her ear, smiling warmly. She leaned up and kissed him. "I may have an idea though." He said when they broke.

"Oh really; well I'm breathless to hear it." She said, sitting up and leaning over him. They kissed again, another long, soft, sweet kiss that set her soul on fire. When she finally pulled back, he was grinning. "I love you." She whispered, gently running her fingertips along his collarbone as he'd done to her earlier. They rose into his hair, and she began to lovingly run the long strands of silk through her fingers.

"Not just yet, I'm afraid." He said quietly, pulling her hand from his hair and gently brushing his lips across her knuckles. He smiled wickedly at her.

"Why?" She asked, curious.

"It's a secret." He said. "I can't tell you. But don't worry, my love. You'll find out soon enough."

Sakura sighed in defeat and lay against him, frowning. She knew better than to push him. He played with her hair idly as they returned to the companionable silence that they so enjoyed. Sakura was dozing on his chest when he rolled her over and lye her gently on the grass. She opened her eyes slowly and watched him. He removed his shirt, the thin cotton peeling from his sweaty skin. She gasped quietly.

His torso was covered in bruises and scrapes. He faced away from her as he began to heal the bruises and cuts he could reach. It was when he turned slightly towards her to get to a bruise on his shoulder that she noticed the worst of them. His entire left side was a deep black, purplish color.

She moved silently to his side; he didn't even know she was approaching until her fingertips brushed the massive bruise. His teeth gritted and he hissed as she touched it, ever muscle in his body tense.

"Don't move." She said softly. Her fingers brushed a stray lock of hair back behind her ear. She made the hand seals and placed her hand on the bruise. Takashi sighed as warmth spread through the area, simultaneously shrinking the large contusion. Takashi looked back at her, gratitude etched onto his face.

"Thank you." He said softly.

"Don't worry about it." Sakura said dismissively. "I am the medical officer for this mission after all." She said, smiling sarcastically. Some mission this had turned into. Sakura sighed heavily, centralizing her concentration on the task at hand. Her chakra channeled into his body and the massive bruise shrank again, lightening under her healing. Takashi sighed contentedly when she finished. Takashi made to move, but she held him still. "I said don't move." She said, half in irritation, half joking. He gave a low growl of defeat and resigned himself to his fate.

Her fingers danced over his skin, skillfully locating every bruise and cut, pumping chakra into the various gashes and contusions that covered his torso. Every lesion healed quickly under her touch, and she moved on to the next. The tensed muscles in his back and shoulders relaxed instantly at her touch. The feeling of her warm, soft fingers moving deftly across his skin gave him chills. Her bright green orbs scanned his injured flesh, easily finding the wounds. As she worked, she marveled at the number of scars on his body. Most were flat and pale with age, time thinning them down to nothing, but there were still a good number of highly conspicuous scars that covered his body. The worst of which was the cross shaped scar from his left shoulder down to his left hip, the second mark starting from about six inches from his shoulder leading down to just past his abdomen; it bore an eerie and uncanny resemblance to the scar on his sensei's left cheek. Almost unconsciously her fingers traced the long, thin white line from his shoulder to where it disappeared at his belt line. He cleared his throat loudly and she almost flew back from him. He laughed softly.

"You know, the larger of the two wasn't from Kaitsu's blade." He said, pulling her back towards him. He pulled her into his lap and went to lovingly stroke his cheek, but she noticed his burned flesh. She gently took his right hand and channeled her chakra into the scalded and reddened flesh.

"Who left it then?" She asked, her head bowed as she worked. Her brilliant green orbs lifted to meet the dazzling gold, looking at him through the waterfall of bangs that had fallen into her eyes. He smiled softly and lovingly brushed them away, revealing her face to him. He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. As he pulled away, his warm breath blew in her hair as he sighed heavily.

"It was a parting gift from my brother." He said darkly. She looked up to him, and saw his eyes filled with pain. Comprehension dawned on her.

"Itachi?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yes. It was the only thing my brother ever gave me."

A tense silence followed his words, and Sakura tried to busy herself with healing his hand to reject the overwhelming tension, but it hung over her like a thick cloud, threatening to explode with thunderous emotion. She knew he didn't like to dredge up these particular memories, and that they caused him great pain. After a while his hand was healed, and when she released it, he flexed his fingers, testing them. He looked down and saw she was still wearing her gloves. His eye narrowed and he took her left hand, despite her protests, and peeled it away. The skin underneath was purple and bruised, an echoing reminder of Kenshin's rage.

"This isn't good!" She thought hysterically as his eyes scanned the injured flesh, his fingertips brushing across it. She buried a gasp in her throat as his fingertips pressed lightly at the center of the swollen flesh. "He'll kill Kenshin for this! I know it!" She thought hysterically. The vision of his blade gliding through Kenshin's flesh with the same ease as when he killed those men that first night sent shivers down her spine and waves of nausea rolling through her. The thought of seeing the normally kind man's blood spraying through the air as Takashi's blade rent him in half wouldn't leave her mind. Then again, today had proven that, just like his student, Kenshin had a dark side. Did he really deserve her pity after he hurt her and had clearly intended to kill the man she loved?

She almost cried out in surprise when she felt something very warm on her skin. His hands were surrounded by green flames as they ran over her tender, bruised flesh. She recognized the technique from somewhere, but it just wouldn't come to her. So she watched him as his fingers drew lovingly across her skin, and embraced the warmth that flowed into her from his hands. Then it hit her.

"This is the same technique you used to heal my wounds that night in the forest isn't it?" She asked, dawning comprehension etched into her features. He smiled weakly but didn't answer, instead inspecting the now healed flesh, the flames gone from his fingers.

"Yes. This is the technique I used that night." He said after a while.

"How does it heal everything, not even leaving a scar?" She asked. "Come to mention it… you were going to use it to heal…" She stammered; a blush on her face. "To heal the… the _internal_ wounds with it, right?" She asked, curiosity far outweighing her embarrassment. "I've never seen a technique that can heal to the point where scarring is eliminated. Where'd you learn it?"

"It was a long time ago, during the revolution. I saved an old healers life during a raid, and to repay me he taught me the juutsu that was his life's work: The dragon's breath juutsu. It uses your chakra to regenerate cells on a molecular level, but it also generates new cells where needed. For example, it you're cut and a large amount of flesh was removed, I can regenerate it with this technique, along with the lost blood. It's rather remarkable. Although, I can only heal wounds inflicted by a blade and other minor injuries. I never quite mastered the art of regenerating and healing bones." He said idly as he toyed with her fingers. She sighed at the feel of his calloused fingertips on her skin.

"That's incredible." She said, laying her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms back around her slim frame, and she snuggled even closer to him. "I've never heard of such a powerful technique. I doubt even Lady Tsunade knows how to use it." She added.

"No. She does. She taught me how to use it to heal the larger wounds during one of my longer stays in Konoha. It was rather impressive, but she never mastered it either. The man that taught it to me could restore whole limbs." He said idly as he ran his fingers through her hair.

"Are you kidding me?!" She yelled. Her jaw dropped and she pulled back, though, she was still sitting in his lap. He merely smiled softly at her.

"The sun's setting." He said suddenly, his gaze shifting from her to the horizon behind them. She turned in his arms and settled into him, his bare, rock hard, warm chest acting as the perfect pillow. "Lean forward for a moment." He whispered, and she silently obeyed, her attention captivated by the setting sun. He pulled his shirt back on and pulled her back against him. She sighed into him as she watched the blood red sunset.

"Oh Takashi this is incredible. I love it here." She said happily, turning in his lap to kiss him. He kissed back, and when she pulled away, he scowled. She laughed softly.

"My love…" He mumbled after a while.

"Yes?" She asked, turning in his arms.

"Just a moment…" He said, lifting her off of him as he spoke. She sat on her legs when he set her down.

"Takashi what is it?"

He smiled warmly at her, and his fingers began the familiar journey over her collar, cheek, and jaw bones, before pulling her in for a kiss. He kissed her rougher than before, more passionate, but still gentle and chaste in its intentions. She melted against him, and he wrapped his arms around her in a possessive hold. She threw her arms around his neck and whimpered into the kiss. She jumped when she felt his tongue against her lips, and gladly opened them to him. She felt a tinge of fear at this deep of a kiss, but it was erased when his tongue began to run itself along her own. It sent electric jolts of pleasure coursing through her body. She moaned this time, and pressed her body against his. Her eyes rolled behind her closed eyelids as she guided his hand to her aching breast. He cupped the soft mound and gently caressed it, running his thumb over her clothed peak.

At the same time they returned to reality and both pulled back, gasping. Takashi crushed her against him, and she didn't protest. The desire for physical contact was still burning in her.

"I'm sorry…" He stammered.

"Don't be." She said suddenly, pulling back. She guided his hand back to her breast and guided his hand in a circular motion. "I don't mind if you cop a feel here and there." She said, grinning wickedly.

"Don't." He growled suddenly, pulling his hand away.

"Why?" She asked, slightly hurt. His expression softened as he looked into her eyes. His fingers gently ran through her hair, and she nuzzled his palm, her hands rising to it.

"Because, if you allow me even that much, I might loose control over the beast inside me." He said softly. Before she could react he was speaking again. "I want to do it right this time, my love."

"What are you talking about, Tashi-kun?" She asked, completely oblivious.

"Sakura…" he whispered, pulling her in for a soft, chaste, and rather quick kiss. When he pulled back he had something in his hands. "I love you, Sakura. I'd die for you. You are the light in the darkness, and you've saved my soul from the chaos of my past. I wish I could repay you, but my debts to you are far too great. This is all I can do." He said. She nearly fainted when he held it before her. The small, velvet black box was open in his hand, and what was inside took her breath away. It was a simple ring with a gold band, but set on top were three large diamonds, the center larger than the other two. It was an engagement ring. "Sakura, will you marry me, my love?" He asked quietly, his eyes glued to her green orbs.

Sakura was in shock. Her mouth hung open, and she was sitting perfectly still. Things rushed through her mind, irrational thoughts of screaming no, thoughts that he would just leave her. She was starting to hyperventilate, hysteria rushing through her. What should she do? She was only sixteen after all. Well, almost seventeen, but still. It would break him if she said no, but did she really want to? She knew he loved her, and she knew he'd never leave her again, no matter what the consequences of the choice. She couldn't live without him, and he couldn't live without her. He completed her. He was everything to her, and she was his world. Sakura made up her mind.

"YES! OH GOD YES!" She screamed, practically tackling him back into the soft grass. She crushed her lips against him, and he returned her kiss with earnest. It was so intense it made her toes curl and her leg lift into the air, despite being on the ground. He poured everything he had into this kiss. All of his pain, his love, his sadness, his need; Takashi poured his soul into it, and Sakura returned it. It was a moment of pure understanding. Sakura and Takashi had completely given themselves to each other, and all that came with it. He wrapped his arms tight around her, and she returned the strong embrace with vigor, and it looked like they were trying to crush themselves into one as their legs intertwined. Sakura moaned into the kiss, and they stayed locked in that heated kiss for almost three full minutes. They refused to break, but finally relented to the burning need for air.

When she pulled back, he was grinning like she'd never seen before. His eyes held a light of happiness in them she didn't know the normally silent man was capable of. She was grinning as well, and when he slid the ring onto her finger, she wanted to scream she was so happy.

"I love you, Sakura." He said, planting soft kisses on her knuckles and fingers between his words. "I cannot imagine a world without you." He added as his lips moved to her neck. She sighed as his lips brushed the sensitive skin.

"Takashi…"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry… I know this seems cruel." She began. "But I have one condition." She said quietly.

"What?" Takashi asked, pulling back from her neck. He looked curious more than hurt, but Sakura was afraid that he was just hiding it. She smiled reassuringly at him, and lovingly stroked his cheek with her fingertips. "What is it my love?"

"If you want me to marry you, my condition is this: One, we wait until after this horrible battle is over, and two: we have to get married back in Konoha. These are non-negotiable Takashi." She said heavily, that last bit in response to his pained expression. He really didn't think he'd survive, did he? "If you don't think you'll survive, why'd you ask me, then?" She asked; her tone more acidic than intended. She automatically regretted the scathing comment when his eyes left hers. She could see the hurt in his gold eyes.

"I love you, Sakura, and I want to be with you. If it will give you peace of mind, I promise you. I will kill Kaitsu, and then I'll take you back to Konoha, to our home, and then we'll be married. I swear to you Sakura, I will live out the rest of my days in Konoha with you." He said softly, but she could hear the seriousness of his tone.

"I love you too, Takashi." She said, almost moaning the words as her lips crushed against his. When they broke she lay there in his arms, warm and content, her eyes taking in the ring on her finger.

"Do you like it?" He asked, his hands softly caressing her back and shoulders.

"I love it." She whispered, her gaze lifting to the stars above them. The sun had long ago, and the sky glittered brilliantly with patchwork clumps of stars. The full moon cast a pale glow to everything, and Sakura once again had her breath taken away. The moonlight cast an ethereal glow off of the waterfall. A light mist had risen in the canyon between the plateau and the waterfall, and the light shined off of it. All in all, this was the best moment of her life. She was in the most beautiful place she'd ever been in, with a gorgeous guy, who'd just proposed to her and sworn to take her home, to live for her. Sakura Haruno, soon to be Sakura Uchiha, was in heaven. Her long, bubblegum pink hair blew in the gentle breeze as she sat up, resting on her hands, her legs outstretched. "Thank you, Takashi." She whispered, turning to lovingly stroke his cheek. He grinned at her.

"So I take it you won't want to leave for a little while?" He asked; that same grin on his face.

"What do you think?" She said, grinning at him.

"I thought so." He said, smiling as he sat up next to her. "But we should be getting back to the dojo. Kaoru's probably throwing a fit." He said, half laughing.

"Just a bit longer, Tashi-kun; I don't want this day to end." She begged.

Sakura spent the next few hours lying in his arms, warm and content just to be near him. Takashi seemed to have that warm smile permanently placed on his face as he held her, and soon, she was dozing in his arms.

A/N- Well, I hope you enjoyed the fight and my little surprise at the end. There's more action to come in the next chapter.


	8. MAster Vs Pupil, the Final Lesson

Prayer of the Refugee

Chapter Eight

Master Vs Pupil, the final lesson

Sakura was warm. She knew she was wrapped in the strong arms of her love the moment she awoke, she recognized his musky scent and the feel of his rock hard chest, but the pink haired girl had no idea where they were. His musky scent filled her nostrils with each breath, along with the smell of cool grass. A light breeze made her shiver pleasurably as the cool wind licked her skin. Goosebumps rose on her pale flesh as it hit her. She shivered again and his arms closed tighter around her. She sighed and clutched herself to him, absorbing his warmth against the cool spring wind.

Takashi was sleeping still, his eyes closed and a soft expression on his face. The wind picked up in his bangs, blowing the stray locks into his face. The rest of the silky black strands stayed put, from what she could see, in the ponytail spilling over his shoulders and down his back. His arms were wrapped around her in that same possessive hold she loved and his head rested on her arm. The young Uchiha's body was semi-curled into a ball around her, and his warmth was intoxicating to her. She could spend the rest of her life wrapped in his arms like this and die a happy woman.

The sun had yet to rise, and it was still cool, the heat of the coming day yet to come.

She held him close, her head tilting up to his neck. His skin felt soft and warm against her nuzzling cheek, a soft sigh escaping her lips. Takashi sighed in his sleep and wrapped himself tighter around her, softly moaning her name. She smiled and ran the fingers of her free arm through his long dark hair, reveling in it.

Takashi's brilliant golden orbs opened slowly. His vision was blurred at first, and all he could see was a blurred shock of pink before him. He stiffened, readying to strike, but relaxed immediately.

"I could get used to waking up like this." He mumbled, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "How'd you sleep?" He asked; smiling warmly as his fingers combed through her hair. She sighed happily as his other hand stroked the soft skin of her back where her shirt had ridden up in their sleep. With a mischievous smirk her soft, pale hand shot under his shirt. Sakura jumped at how warm and smooth his skin was to the touch, despite the many ridges and planes of muscle and scars beneath her fingers. As her soft hand found his lower back, his hand shot out and pulled it back from under his black shirt; his fingers interlocked with hers, and she almost whimpered as his head began to lower. "Must you test my restraint?" he asked rhetorically, barely breathing the words as his head lowered and his lips claimed hers in a fierce kiss. When he pulled back, Sakura was breathless.

"If that's what I get in return for it, then I'll test it every chance I get." She said playfully, twirling a lock of his hair between her fingers as she spoke

"I made a promise Sakura, and I intend to keep it. Besides," he began with a smirk, "The thought of ravaging you the moment we get back to Konoha is enticing." He whispered in her ear, sending chills down her spine. He was smirking triumphantly when he pulled back from her, and she poked him in the ribs. She grimaced when he didn't even flinch. His breathing was still steady, and his face impassive, except for that smirk.

"Oh shut up." She mumbled angrily. She snuggled back into his chest and sighed heavily. Her body felt raw, and she could feel the dirt and dried sweat on her body from the previous day. "I need a bath." She whined, but, despite her statement, she clutched herself closer to him.

"I'll take you home, if you like." He mumbled, burying his nose in her hair and inhaling deeply. Sakura didn't respond, merely sighing into his chest again. Takashi rolled his eyes and clutched her to him.

"Not just yet. It's not even dawn." She mumbled sleepily.

"We should go now." Takashi pressed. "It'll be easier to reenter the gate if there's still some darkness." He mumbled, nuzzling her neck with his cheek. She whimpered softly at the contact, and he pulled back, smiling. Sakura looked up at him and gave a luscious pout, before sighing in defeat.

"Fine," she griped as she pulled herself free of his arms and stood, "Have it your way, sword boy." She griped. Sakura turned her back to him and, reaching into her pouch for a band, pulled her hair back into a high ponytail. She was busy smoothing out her clothes, wrinkled from sleeping in the grass, when she heard the metallic clink of a sword being readied to be drawn. Sakura spun on her heels, her fist raising instinctively, kunai in hand.

Takashi was standing there, his sword just barely drawn enough to free it from the sheath, eyes dancing in their sockets. His entire body was tense, and his hand was closed around the hilt of his blade, clutched to his side in a ready position.

"We're being followed." He said; his tone icy. "And this is no Yakuza; this person has a feral chakra about them." He growled. His knees bent of their own accord, and his eyes locked to an area just south of them.

"Who is it?" She asked, her own eyes scanning the tree line. She spun into place, back to back with the Uchiha. He glared at her but didn't object.

"I don't know."

Sakura's mind was instantly filled with the image of him. Kaitsu's terrible green eyes and his flowing black, tattered coat filled her mind. The memory of his needless brutality and demonic power flooded her senses. The terrible memory was only to be replaced with an image that hurt her more than anything she'd ever imagined. Takashi was beaten and bloodied, on his knees with blood flowing from his mouth. An unscathed Kaitsu stood above him, his blade raised. That demonic smirk etched onto his terrible face as he swung the blade down, rending Takashi from his shoulder to hip, splitting him in half. Sakura screamed, and every part of her felt the blood spraying from him. It felt like it was covering her.

"SAKURA?!"

Takashi forgot everything except her and dropped to his knees, his arms encircling her. She cried out as the vision passed through her mind again and allowed him to crush her against him.

"NO!" She screamed, unaware of anything else going on around her. All she could think of was the gruesome image in her mind. The only thing she could see was Takashi's blood spraying from the wound, and his terrible, blood curdling scream of pain. She screamed again, writhing in his arms. "STOP, STOP, STOP!" She screamed, her hand clutching her head. Takashi growled as he tried to restrain her writhing and screaming form.

"SASUKE!!"

Sakura knew the voice instantly, but Takashi was oblivious to the identity of their attacker. The orange streak flew towards them at a speed she didn't think he was capable of. The small blue ball of chakra whirled in his hand, and a feral growl emanated from him as he swung the attack at Takashi.

Takashi's sword lay forgotten on the ground to their right, but the Uchiha seemed in no need of the powerful weapon. His body spun so fast he was completely invisible for the fraction of a second the movement took. He barely avoided the attack, spinning on his heel. His hands shot out and caught his attacker's outstretched arm, unaware as he was, and spun, sending the stranger flying away. He was crouching to attack when two more shapes shot out of the trees. One a blur of green, the other of white; the green blur was on Takashi so fast Sakura screamed, the resounding crunch of the blocked kick echoing throughout the clearing. The white blur came around and tried to scoop her up, but Takashi saw it. He spun, easily kicking the attacker away.

"STOP IT!" Sakura screamed as soon as she caught a glimpse of the blurs true forms. Lee was before Takashi, his leg raised in the high kick Takashi had blocked, and Neji was sliding back through the grass, and Naruto's slumped form was at the foot of a tree with a very large portion of it crushed inwards by the intense impact. Lee blinked a few times, confused, before his words split the silence.

"Wait… you are not Sasuke!" He half asked, half exclaimed, lowering his leg.

"And seeing as Itachi's dead, then he is our mark." Neji said coolly as he stood up straight, heading towards them. Apparently Naruto had yet to realize that, as the blonde was lunging towards them, yelling.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" He yelled as he reared back his fist.

"NARUTO STOP IT NOW!" Sakura yelled. He stopped dead in his tracks, a confused look on his face. He scratched his head for a moment, and then pointed stupidly at Takashi.

"Hey, you're not Sasuke, are ya?" He said stupidly, finally noticing the obvious differences in their appearances.

"No I'm not." Takashi growled, and Sakura noticed all of them step back a little at his tone.

"Hey! He's that Takashi guy Grandma Tsunade sent us after isn't he?" he asked, and everyone around him sweat dropped.

"Yes, we've already established that." Neji said, his tone reflecting his irritation. "Forgive us. Naruto said he saw Sasuke and then we heard Sakura screaming. We assumed he was attacking you." He added with a scathing glare at Naruto. "We were sent to back up the first team sent to retrieve you…"

Neji was cut off by an overexcited Lee, who was practically hopping with joy.

"You're Takashi Uchiha right? You're supposed to be one of the fastest men in the world, right? Oh, I'd love to fight you! I fought your brother and beat him, but then he just got better and better. Anyway, would you like to fight?" Lee said; talking so fast Takashi could barely understand him.

"Yes, yes, I'm not surprised, Sasuke was always slow, and no, not really, sorry; I have more pressing matters to attend to." Takashi said, trying to end the conversation.

"Anyway," Neji interrupted, agitated, "Tsunade was worried, having not received any form of message, so she sent us. Why haven't you made contact?"

"It's complicated. How much have you been briefed on?" Takashi asked.

"We are completely aware of the situation, including the circumstances of your defection from the village." Lee interjected.

"Well, I don't know anything about their journey here, but when they arrived they were attacked and I aided them in finding cover. After that, they took refuge with my sensei. Did she tell you about him?" He asked. Neji and Lee nodded in unison. "Kaitsu's moves have been sporadic. It's hard to tell his motives, but I know he was behind Hideki Matatsuma's assassination."

"How could you know that?" Lee asked.

"Because some moron Lord from when Nobunaga was in power tried to hire me for the job." Takashi said darkly. "It was a wise idea, try to assassinate the head of the government and take power, but Kaitsu beat him to it thanks to my refusal. I killed him a week later, actually." Takashi said in a bored tone. "Anyway, I'm pretty sure all he wants is to start war, but he could have some ulterior motive I'm unaware of. His moves haven't exactly been conspicuous lately. I don't even know where he is."

"We do." Neji interrupted. Takashi gaze snapped to him, and, although the Hyuuga didn't show it, he was a little daunted by Takashi's fierce glare.

"Where?" He growled; his tone demonic.

"Well, actually, we know he was in the land of tea trying to meet with Sasuke six months ago, but now he's returned to Hitsuya. Unfortunately, we don't know where he's hiding, just that he's in the city walls. Forgive me for leading you on like that." Neji said politely.

"It's no problem, but the sun will be rising soon, and we need to get over the wall before dawn. Sakura and I can walk straight through because I have _some_ pull left in this city, but I can't get two members of the Anbu black ops and the most favored for the sixth Hokage position through the gate without notice." He said, his chin resting on his hand as he thought.

"You're right. Lee, we and Naruto should leave now."

"One more thing, why was Kaitsu trying to meet up with Sasuke in the land of tea?" Takashi asked.

"We believe he was trying to enlist Sasuke and the Sound Village, but we don't know why."

"He probably wanted to get them in on the war he's trying to spark." Takashi said; his tone thoughtful.

"That is what the Lord Hokage guessed. But we still do not know for sure." Lee said, nodding his head in agreement.

As the other three spoke, Naruto helped Sakura up off the ground. They looked at each other for a moment, and an awkward silence followed. This was the first time she and the blonde had been near each other since their disastrous attempt at a relationship, which ended in Sakura discovering the true nature of Sasuke and Naruto's relationship. Naruto opened his mouth to speak, but stopped suddenly. Sakura's hand had risen to brush a stray strand of hair out of her face. It was the hand with the engagement ring on it. Sakura suddenly realized what he was starring at and her eyes grew wide.

"Hey Sakura," He began, "Isn't that… HEY…"

Sakura had slapped her hand over his mouth, effectively silencing the blonde.

"Shut up!" She growled quietly. "Yes it is! Takashi and I are engaged." She mumbled, her embarrassment reflected in the slight pink tint to her cheeks.

"Does he make you happy?"

Sakura's eyes widened with shock as he spoke. Was this really Naruto? Could he have matured that much since she left?

"Yes. He makes me happier than I can ever remember being." She said with a nervous grin.

"Then that's all that matters." Naruto said, nodding his head, his arms folded over his chest.

"Thanks Naruto."

"So when's the wedding?" Naruto asked as the two walked over to the other three. They were still talking heatedly. Takashi was most likely trying to figure out how he could use these three new companions.

"I don't know." She said in a pondering tone. "We decided to wait until we got back to Konoha, but after that, I don't know. I was thinking about having a winter wedding, you know."

"Too cold; why don't you just get it over with here? This clearing is beautiful; you could do it here." He suggested.

"No."

"Why not?" Naruto asked, blinking.

"Because, Naruto, making him wait to marry me is my way of trying to motivate him to stay alive." Sakura said darkly.

"Don't worry about that, Sakura-chan." Naruto said, his tone shifting to a more serious depth. "This guy… he's insanely strong. I can see it. After all, he did stop my rasengan like it was nothing."

Sakura smiled at her old friend.

"I've missed you, Naruto."

"I was worried about you, Sakura." Naruto said, nodding his head slightly. "It took a while to convince the old lady to let us come after you."

"Any knew leads on him?" She asked, his name not needing to be spoken.

"No." Naruto said gravely, shaking his head. "But, I have been commanded by Ino to tell you to come home as soon as you can." He said, grinning. "And to remind you that now she only has 'those damn genin' to hang out with."

"Naruto, we're leaving." Neji called.

"All right all ready, geez. He so damn pushy; it's driving me nuts!" He growled. Sakura laughed.

"You haven't changed a bit, Naruto." She said, smiling.

"Do I ever?" He said, laughing, as he jogged over to the others. Takashi looked over to her and his eyes softened, that same soft smile she'd fallen for on his face. She walked over and he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her, before continuing his conversation like it was nothing.

Unfortunately, the small and simple show of affection earned a cry of pain from Lee (he always did have a weird delusion that they were meant for each other), and Neji was just standing there, feeling awkward.

"We… we need to go." Neji said, his awkwardness reflected in his voice.

"Do you remember where to meet?" Takashi asked.

"Yes." Neji replied. After Naruto said goodbye to Sakura the three dove off into the forest, headed towards Hitsuya.

"Why did you send them ahead of us?" She asked. Takashi's eyebrow rose.

"Sakura, I'm hurt." He said, grinning. "Did you really think they're faster than me?" He said. Sakura grinned and climbed onto his back after he'd reclaimed his sword. She yelled happily as he shot off into the forest, his incredible speed carrying them off. She knew they were just a blur on the dim horizon as they streaked through the forest. It took barely a minute for them to cross the forest, and in seconds they where streaking through the air and over the main wall. Takashi landed lightly on a nearby rooftop and continued his relentless speed towards the compound.

They touched down at the gate without a sound, and when he stopped, she was once again crushed against his back. Her breath left her lungs, but she managed to hold on, barely. She felt his deep, rumbling laugh echoing in his chest.

"Shut up." She mumbled as she climbed off his back. The sun was up now, barely, and a cool wind was hovering over the city. Kaoru was sitting in the middle of the cherry trees to their right, playing with Kenji. Today she was wearing a midnight blue kimono with silver flowers around edges. As much as she said she despised them, Kaoru wouldn't stop wearing the kimono's her husband bought her. They had always seemed to suit her.

"Hey!" She called, smiling.

"Can I got tell her?" Sakura asked, turning to him. Her green eyes were begging him to say yes, and she knew his answer before he could say it. She was already throwing herself into his arms when he started speaking.

"Of course, my love, you can go tell her." He said with that soft smile. Sakura crushed her lips to his in soft, loving kiss, and when they broke, she muttered her thanks, grinning excitedly at him. She turned and hurried over to Kaoru. After a few moments his smile widened as he heard his surrogate mother squeal in excitement, followed by giggling. He turned to walk towards the main house when he saw Kenshin standing in the middle of the path, his blade in hand. His eyes were solid amber, and he was glaring at Takashi. "What'd I do now?" Takashi asked as his eyebrow rose.

"Have you forgotten our arrangement, Takashi? It's May 1st." Kenshin asked; his tone icy. Realization hit Takashi and he nearly lost his composure. Where had the time gone? It had been one month. The time had finally come. He would have to face his master in battle as an enemy.

Kenshin stood there, his face expressionless and his eyes demonic.

Takashi's entire demeanor changed; his body shifted into a more ready stance of its own accord. His eyes golden orbs glowed with that demonic power that had made him a legend. His grip on his blade tightened.

"Where?"

"Meet me two miles south of the old compound in the clearing in two hours. We'll begin there." Kenshin said. He almost disappeared as he moved, stopping with his hand on Takashi's shoulder. "Remember, Takashi: If you cannot defeat me," he began. Kenshin turned his crippling amber eyes on Takashi as he spoke. "I will kill you."

With that, Kenshin vanished. Takashi rounded on his heel and turned to leave. He jumped unnoticeably when he saw Lee, Neji, and Naruto land in the gate. They walked over to him, and all shrunk back at the look on his face.

"What-?" Naruto began, his voice breaking slightly, but Takashi cut him off.

"I have business to attend to. The three of you need to stay here and watch over Sakura and Kaoru. Tell her I'll be home soon and not to worry." He said in a low voice. "And Naruto," he began, spearing a fleeting glance at the blonde, unleashing the full power of his eyes. "Don't let her follow me." He growled. His tone left no room for argument and before the others could argue, he had stepped past them and vanished with a blast of wind.

Sakura was talking animatedly with Kaoru over to their right, and, seeing nothing better to do, Naruto headed over. They were talking about wedding plans, cakes and things the like, when Kaoru's eyes caught Naruto's. His eyes nearly dropped. She was gorgeous!

"Uh… You can stop starring any time." Kaoru said, almost laughing. She reached over and pulled Kenji up off the grass and stood him on his legs. The child wobbled slightly, barely able to stand. "Say hi to Aunty Sakura's friends!" She said in a playful tone. The child made an incoherent squeal, grinning at the attention.

"Uh, Kaoru, this is Naruto, Neji, and Lee. They're my comrades from the hidden Leaf village." Sakura said, pointing them out. "Hey, where's Takashi?" She asked.

"He left. He had some business to take care of, and to tell you he'd be home soon and not to worry." Neji said. He added his message to her when she saw the fear in her eyes. Her entire body had stiffened when he'd said Takashi had left. "It's not surprising. I only saw her a few times in the months since he left, but even so, I could see the damage he'd done." Neji thought darkly.

"Speaking of psycho swordsmen, where's my husband?" Kaoru asked, standing up.

"If you mean the man with the shock of red hair, then he left a few moments before we arrived. Takashi followed him. I heard something about a battle, and Kenshin killing someone, but other than that, I've no idea where they went." Lee said.

"Lee no!" Neji growled, but it was too late. Sakura and Kaoru were on their feet.

"No!" Kaoru growled. "They're going to fight each other. Kenshin mentioned it once. He said he had one last lesson to teach him, and if he failed to learn it, he'd kill Takashi!" She yelled.

"NO!" Sakura screamed. She turned, and with a speed she never knew she possessed, she took off into the streets.

Takashi was about fifty yards behind Kenshin when they'd caught up. Inubo and Kakashi were moving fast, but not fast enough. He outran them for a while, but they'd caught up when he and Kenshin had stopped at their intended meeting place.

"What are you two doing?" Takashi growled. Inubo knew that voice, and it scarred him. Takashi was preparing to kill.

"You thought we'd miss this?" Inubo said sarcastically.

"I warn you, if you stay, I cannot guarantee your lives." Kenshin said, not really paying attention. He was tying on his wrist guards as he spoke. When done with that he removed his low ponytail and redid it higher on his head, tying it tighter.

Takashi didn't bother with that, though he did slip his sword through a specially made cloth slip on his thick leather belt. The Uchiha rounded on them, his eyes showing his power. He looked at Inubo for a moment, and then Inubo turned, activating his Byakugan.

There's nobody within a fifty mile radius. Wait… Sakura and two others I don't know are coming. One's a Hyuuga and the other is dressed in an orange and black track suit." Inubo said darkly.

"Naruto and Neji; I didn't know they were here…" Kakashi said coolly.

"Well, we'd better get started before they arrive." Kenshin said darkly. "Are you ready, Takashi? If you start this battle, it will not end until you are dead or I'm defeated. How it ends is up to you."

"Do you really have to ask, sensei?" Takashi asked rhetorically, entering the most familiar stance to him.

Kenshin moved first. He shot forward so fast Kakashi didn't see it, but to Takashi, it was completely visible. Kenshin didn't draw his blade, instead catching it by the guard and thrusting the hilt forward.

Takashi dodged it by simply turning his body. He retaliated by drawing his own blade with god-like speed into a horizontal slice, but Kenshin had predicted the move. He disappeared and Takashi eyes shot up, and his jaw almost dropped.

"Strike of the nine dragons, shadow dragon hammer!"

Kenshin came down so fast Takashi barely had time to jump out of the way. It was only thanks to his training he knew how to dodge the technique. It was one of the few strikes that could be dodged. The other had to be blocked, and three of them were unstoppable.

"A strike of the nine dragons attack so early; we've barely even started! He really is serious!" Takashi thought darkly. Kenshin's attack sent a wall of shattered stone and earth into the air, and Takashi barely dodged his attack as he shot out of the cloud of dust and debris. Takashi just barely managed to lift his blade, but even thought Kenshin's thrust was blocked, it sent Takashi sliding back.

"Earth dragon hammer!" Kenshin yelled, bringing the blade down. The force of the attack ripped through the forest, Takashi spun away just in time as the fierce attack cleaved an oak behind him in two before the force ripped it apart.

"So you are serious?" Takashi growled rhetorically.

"I meant what I said. If you don't defeat me here and now, you're going to die here today." Kenshin said, his tone just as menacing as Takashi's.

Takashi and Kenshin stood there for what seemed like forever. Their battle had moved away from Inubo and Kakashi, and the other two stared on their battle, Kakashi in awe of their raw power, and Inubo waiting for Takashi to fight back.

It was a surreal moment when the sun broke the heavy cloud cover and shone down on the, patched under the trees. Takashi and Kenshin hadn't even broken a sweat, and, as a leaf fell from a tree, Takashi's body tensed.

Unseen, but definitely felt, Takashi's and Kenshin's auras flared. The released energy exploded out of them, and though the fields were invisible, the swirling wind and resulting gale force blast of air from the sudden amass of energy around their bodies was felt.

Inubo and Kakashi grew cold, Kakashi more than Inubo. Inubo was used to feeling his comrade's aura, but never before had it been so intense. Takashi was so incredibly powerful now! Inubo thought there was no way he couldn't defeat Kaitsu. The two's auras clash was so intense Inubo could practically feel them. They settled over the forest like a dark cloud, eclipsing happiness and warmth: the perfect environment for battle.

Takashi moved first. He dove forward, and the moment Inubo had wanted came. He drew his blade, having returned it to its sheath after the lighting quick attack earlier, so fast the wind whistled around him. The clash was heard across the forest for miles, and when they clashed again, and again, the sound of steel being crossed rang out.

They were moving so fast they were nothing more than blurs against the forest background. Takashi blocked a downward slash from Kenshin, but Kenshin dropped, supporting himself on one hand on the hilt of his blade as he spun into a kick. It caught Takashi squarely in the jaw and sent him flying back so hard the tree he hit splintered. He had just enough time to wipe the blood from his mouth before Kenshin was on him again.

"Strike of the nine dragons, one thousand blades!" Kenshin growled. Takashi knew how to block this technique. It was impossible to dodge, but if you could manage to stop the first strike, then the rest were impossible. The only problem was that the first strike was so fast it was almost invisible. Takashi spun on his heel to face Kenshin, and he sheathed his blade.

"If that's the game you want to play. Strike of the nine dragons, dragon shadow flash!" Takashi growled. Only two of the nine dragons attacks were battoujutsu and this was one of them. The other was the most powerful blade strike in the style. Drawn from the hip, the shadow dragon flash was the only way to counter the one thousand blades.

Takashi's body twisted and he spun, drawing faster than striking lighting. The resounding crash of their blades colliding was heard throughout the forest, and as soon as they touched, a blast of energy was released. A whirlwind of dust and debris blasted out and a crater formed between them. Both were growling at each other, but Kenshin won the struggle, sending Takashi flying back into the trees. The tell tale crashes of falling oaks and pines and other trees could be heard echoing throughout the forest.

"Incredible!" Kakashi breathed. His body was tense as his eyes barely followed their movements. "Wait… Takashi's got the advantage in speed, but Kenshin is more powerful."

"This is nothing compared to what I've seen Takashi do." Inubo said, his own body tense.

"TAKASHI!" Sakura yelled, landing next to them. She made to run over, but Inubo caught her in his strong arms. "LET ME GO! THEY'LL KILL EACH OTHER!!" She cried, tears spilling down her pale face.

"Sakura, if you go over there you'll die!" Inubo growled. "Takashi and Kenshin are in their own world! All we can do is watch!" He growled. Just as the words left his mouth an echoing cry of pain ripped through the forest.

"TAKASHI!" Sakura yelled, every ounce of her strength pouring into trying to rip herself from Inubo's iron grip. He almost lost her until Kakashi spoke up. Damn she was strong…

"Sakura!" Kakashi barked. Despite the years since they became teammates, Sakura still called him sensei, and still respected him, so it was on sheer instinct that she stopped struggling and her head snapped toward him, her green eyes burning with fury. "Sakura, Takashi must do this. We can't stop him, despite how much we'd like to." He said; his eyes locked on the now distant battle. His voice was low, so low she knew he was deadly serious. "All we can do is be quiet and watch."

Naruto and Neji landed soundlessly, and Neji's eyes shot wide as he saw the two blurred shapes darting around on the horizon.

"Man…" Naruto began in a pensive tone, "Just who the heck is that?"

"It's Takashi and Kenshin." Sakura mumbled weakly.

"Incredible… just incredible!" Naruto said; his eyes glued to the battle. Another scream from one of the participants made them jump. Sakura couldn't stop the tears forming in her eyes as she watched.

Takashi slammed into the tree, clutching at the wound to his shoulder. It had been close, too close when Kenshin had used the dragon hammer strike. He'd just barely gotten his blade in the way in time. He wiped the blood and sweat flowing into his eye from the cut on his forehead off on his sleeve.

"Calm down. Calm down and focus, damn it." He thought viciously. Takashi dove to the side just as Kenshin's blade slashed through the tree.

"Strike of the nine dragons, dragon's wind scythe!" Kenshin yelled, jumping up. His body contorted as he spun at inhuman speeds. His blade flashed brightly in the sun. Kenshin's attack was so fast Takashi couldn't dodge it, and it was an impossible attack to block. The blade tore through his flesh, and Takashi knew by the slow speed and the lessened number of strikes, his sensei was going easy on him. Still, when Kenshin landed a few yards away, sheathing his blade, almost three dozen deep gashes exploded out on Takashi's body. Takashi screamed as blood shot violently from the wounds. He fell to his knees, clutching at his torn body. He barely registered Kenshin's form streaking towards him through the pain.

Takashi jumped out of the way just in time to avoid being impaled by Kenshin, but his former master wasn't done yet. Kenshin lunged at him and Takashi barely managed to jump out of the way. Despite the difficulty, Takashi was rapidly quickening.

Kenshin's slash was easily dodged, Takashi spinning on his heel. The Uchiha planted his feet, moving into a slash with one fluid motion, growling. Kenshin's eyes flew wide. He didn't have the speed to dodge it. When in the hell did Takashi get so fast?

The fiery haired swordsmen raised his blade vertically before his body, bracing one hand on the blade. Kenshin was sent flying back through the trees, sending a few crashing down as Takashi's blade connected; sparks flew like rain as the blades connected and dragged together as Takashi followed through the attack.

Kenshin slid back with a grunt, but was in no way defeated. He stopped suddenly, and Takashi stopped just as abruptly. They stood there for a moment, eyes locked. It felt like Kenshin was at war with himself over something. Takashi could feel it in his aura; he could see it in Kenshin's gaze and in his body language.

"I'm disappointed in you, Takashi." Kenshin said darkly, his head bowed slightly, his bangs shielding his eyes. "I thought you'd have been much stronger by now, and you are, but you lack the one thing I can never teach you, and by the way you've been fighting, you'll never have it."

"And what is that?" Takashi said, his chest heaving as he gasped for air. His eyes felt different. His whole body felt suddenly changed. It felt like he was a spring, coiled and ready to shoot out. He almost gasped at how easily he sidestepped Kenshin's attack. "What could this be?" He thought as easily jumped to the side, spinning in the air before landing gracefully. "It's like I can see his moves before they happen. Could this be?"

His eyes widened. It was. For the past few days, since his fight with Matsuda, his Sharingan seemed to activate of its own accord, and he didn't have to use any chakra to summon it. Could it have really evolved? Then what were its powers? He surmised that this new feeling was probably it. Maybe it worked the same way as his taijuutsu senses. Maybe this seemingly sixth sense about Kenshin's moves was this new ability. He'd have to test it.

Takashi shot forward, easily anticipating Kenshin's spinning thrust. He parried the attack, their blades casting sparks in the slowly dwindling light. He spun into a vertical slice, and the amber eyed swordsmen just barely managed to dodge it. Takashi's blade got so close it sliced the fabric of his gi.

Sakura's heart was aching. Everything in her heart and in her mind was screaming out for him. It was screaming for him to stop. It was screaming for her to go to him, to help him. The battle had been going on for almost an hour now, and had drifted far off into the trees. She'd been forced to endure her loves screams of pain for what felt like an eternity. A cry ripped through the trees and Sakura moved to go to him, jumping up from her spot on the ground, but she was caught mid-stride by Inubo.

"LET ME GO!" She growled, her eyes blazing with fury and hurt. She struggled weakly, but eventually fell limp in his arms. "Why do they do this?" She asked, tears spilling from her eyes.

"They've no choice. You must remember Sakura, we came here with a mission, but Takashi has his own to fulfill." Kakashi said darkly, his voice low. The sun was starting to set, and Sakura collapsed onto the ground, sitting with her knees drawn to her chest, arms folded, head resting on her arms, crying. It hurt her. It hurt as if something was ripping her to shreds. He could really die. There was a very high probability of his death, and even if he could kill Kaitsu, he could still die of his wounds. "Takashi's doing this because he has no choice. Kaitsu has given him an ultimatum, and Takashi made his choice. Now he must see that decision through to its end."

Sakura was breaking. Her heart, her soul; it was all breaking. She should be used to it, a voice within her said darkly. She ignored it, trying to remember what he'd told her. I love you, Sakura, and I'll never leave you again. Those words echoed in her heart and mind, and some warmth seemed to return to her, despite the heat of the evening.

Summer was finally upon them, and it was there with interest. The heat was overwhelming, and, despite the setting sun, Sakura was sweating. The only reprieve was the cool breeze that blasted through every few minutes. She sighed darkly and turned her head into the cool wind, the breeze caressing her tear stained cheeks.

Takashi took a deep, shuddering breath. This battle was going to be long and drawn out, he'd known that from the beginning. But Kenshin hadn't let up on him for a second. Even his new Sharingan powers weren't enough. He didn't understand. How could the gap be that large? Just the other day Kenshin leapt back like he was burned when Takashi's aura flared. How could this be? Takashi knew he had the advantage in speed and strength, so what could it be?

Takashi's golden orbs darted around, searching. Kenshin wasn't above him, he'd have felt it, but now he couldn't feel him at all. Where did his sensei go? He had no idea. Sweat rolled off him in waves, the salty beads burning as they dripped into his various wounds. His hand rose and her wiped the sweat from his eyes and forehead. Why the hell did it have to be so hot today? Not to mention the overwhelming feeling that no matter what he did, he couldn't beat Kenshin. Not on his own. No. That's impossible. Anyone can be defeated, can't they?

"You're starting to realize it, aren't you?"

Takashi spun so fast he was almost invisible. He blocked Kenshin's powerful thrust with the broad side of his blade, but it still sent him flying back. He slammed into a tree and slid part of the way down, slightly delirious from the impact. His grip on his black slackened and his vision momentarily blurred.

Kenshin stood there, his eyes hard and uncaring, despite having just viciously attacked his student. His stance was loose, his blade at his side. Although he was winning the battle, Kenshin wasn't without injury. Various cuts and gashes littered his body, blood seeping stingingly slow from his wounds. He grimaced at his student as Takashi wearily and shakily stood.

"You know as well as I do that you cannot beat me, Takashi." Kenshin said darkly. Takashi's breathing was labored. His shoulders buckled as he gasped for breath, his Sharingan dimming. He was exhausted. No matter what he tried, Kenshin was still beating him. "But tell me, my foolish apprentice, do you know why?"

"You're just too strong." Takashi gasped.

"WRONG!" Kenshin barked. Takashi's eyes grew wide. "My power is not in my strength, nor my speed, Takashi. Do you remember the lesson we went over? The night I told you we would have this battle?" He asked. As he spoke, his body began to shift.

"Yes. To defeat Kaitsu, I must know that I can defeat him." Takashi said, standing up straight, having regained his strength. He was poised to strike.

"But there is something vital you lack."

"What?"

Kenshin's eyes glowed brighter than Takashi had ever seen them. His aura blasted out, almost eclipsing Takashi's. He raised his blade above his head, and Takashi was almost sent flying back by the explosive blast of power his sensei unleashed.

"Resolve. Don't' you see? A master of kenki like me and Kaitsu hear your aura as if it were speaking to our very hearts. And for you, Takashi, that's not good, because all your aura speaks of is senseless fright."

As he spoke, a blast of cool wind surged through the trees. Another storm was fast approaching. Despite the heat, the wind felt like ice to Takashi. His eyes widened, and his breath left him.

"Don't misunderstand me Takashi, your fear is different than most. When you attack, you fear killing me. When you counter, it is because you fear dying and hurting Sakura even more. You fear death, because you fear the punishment for your sins. You fear failure. And when you protect someone, you fear they will die. This lesson is the final thing I will teach you Takashi." Kenshin said; his tone dark and menacing. "It is a lesson passed down from my master, to me, and from his to him. This is the final lesson of this style: When you counter, you don't let them cut you. When you protect some one, you do not let them die. And when you attack," he said, shifting suddenly, "YOU KILL!" Kenshin yelled, bringing his blade down. Takashi's eyes flew wide.

Sakura was almost knocked out of the tree she was sitting in when a blast so intense it shook the forest with an intensity beyond any earthquake ripped through the forest. Her eyes snapped towards the fight, and she gasped. A blast of energy so intense, so ferocious had ripped through the trees, cutting a deep trench off towards the mountains. The blast was so powerful it ripped the trees, stone and earth from the ground.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" Naruto yelled, but nobody heard him. His voice was eclipsed by the roar of the blast.

"TAKASHI!!!" Sakura screamed, tears flowing from her eyes.

Kenshin stood there, pulling his blade from the start of a massive gash ripped through the earth by his attack, his demeanor unchanged. He wasn't even out of breath.

"Strike of the nine dragons, Earth god buster."

Takashi stood there, his eyes wide. His sensei had missed on purpose. There was no other way to explain it. The earth god buster was the third most powerful technique in the style, but he'd never seen it so powerful before.

"Do you understand now? Your fear is echoes into your aura, and it weakens you. As long as you hold any fear, you will die. Can't you see, Takashi?" He asked, raising his blade. The same blast of energy as before surged out, and Takashi nearly lost his footing. "My sheer resolve to kill you is reflected in my blade, in my aura, and in my strength. I harbor no fear. I know I can defeat you, Takashi. That is my strength."

Takashi's head was bowed as he stood, his eyes eclipsed by his long bangs. His shoulders sagged, and his body seemed barely able to stay on its feet.

"It seems you'll never understand. I'm sorry Takashi. I truly am. Goodbye." He said, bringing his blade down.

It felt like slow motion to him. Takashi's mind didn't register Kenshin's words. He didn't hear his sensei goodbye or see him begin his attack. It was all so clear to him now. He never feared killing, but in this battle, he'd feared killing his sensei, and part of him feared killing Kaitsu and being left without a purpose. When he countered, he feared death. He feared failing in his mission. He feared his own death and the resulting deaths that would follow. Most of all, he feared failing to protect Sakura. It was the whole reason he left Konoha. He'd always feared failing to protect those he loved. It all seemed to fall into place in that single moment. He understood his sensei's words. He understood the one lesson he'd always failed to grasp. It made sense to him now. Why he could never seem to find the power inside himself when he needed it the most. Fear. It had consumed his heart and mind over the years, weakening him. No matter how hard he trained, the fear was always there.

"No more." He whispered almost inaudibly.

"Strike of the Nine Dragons, Earth God Buster!" Kenshin yelled. He brought his blade down swiftly, but just before the energy was unleashed, he felt something. An odd pulse seemed to emanate from his student. Then, without warning or a hint of explanation, Takashi's aura exploded. Kenshin stopped mid-swing and his breath froze in his lungs. The speed at which the massive energy had collected was so great that it literally sent Kenshin sliding back as a cyclone formed around Takashi. His aura was so intense it was visible, twisting and surrounding his body as if it were an intense chakra, but much thicker. The solid blue energy ripped at the earth around them, digging a small crater at its feet.

Takashi stood up straight, and Kenshin caught a view of his eyes. His Sharingan was active still, but that made little difference. The demonic glow, far more terrifying than anything Kenshin had ever seen had settled itself in Takashi's eyes. If his resolve hadn't been so hardened, Takashi's demonic gaze would have crippled Kenshin. Those eyes were pure evil, and unparalleled in power. Takashi's stance was loose, and his muscles relaxed. He took a deep breath, as if he were breathing for the first time.

At one, singular moment, everyone was stuck dumb. A power so overwhelming it made it difficult to breath had just blasted out.

"What is this power?" Neji asked, suddenly unable to move.

"I don't know!" Kakashi growled. "Could this be Kaitsu? No, it feels too familiar."

"It's Takashi!" Inubo yelled. He recognized the power, but the only person he'd ever met that can generate this much strength was… Kaitsu… "It's got to be! But it's so much different than before. Takashi's never been able to generate this much strength before!"

"Please be safe!" Sakura thought, her hands before her chest, her fingers interlocked.

"I've by far underestimated you, Takashi." Kenshin thought, almost smiling. He and Takashi's eyes locked, and for a moment, Kenshin was almost scarred by the raw power and intent he saw in them. Takashi had found his resolve.

"I understand now, sensei." Takashi said, his deep voice not menacing, but still in a dark tone. "It's all clear to me now. You were right. I couldn't defeat Kaitsu. I was afraid, and he would have used that weakness to destroy me." Takashi said, smirking. "But now I've found my resolve." He said, shifting so his blade was poised above his head, just as Kenshin was. His aura flared up and the blue energy swirled around him, intensifying, but retracting as it surrounded him. "And now we can have our real battle." He added. Kenshin laughed darkly, mimicking his position.

"And why do I get the feeling that this will be over momentarily?" He asked rhetorically. They entered a tensed silence, and Takashi and Kenshin stared each other down.

"Ever since I was young," Takashi thought, "From the day I met you, I wanted to defeat you…"

"The moment we met, I knew you would be powerful…"

"I looked up to you… you were like a father to me…"

"I always thought of you as a son… I loved you as if you were…"

"You took me in and gave me a home… You gave me the strength to protect those I love… I can never repay you for what you've done for me…"

"I wouldn't think twice to die for you."

"And yet…"

"And yet…"

Both swung. The blast was so intense it tore at the earth. The two attacks collided and melded, the collective energy blasting out. Kenshin's form, along with his students was both eclipsed by the insanely powerful blast.

Sakura was standing there, numb, when the blast happened. She was knocked off her feet by the insane intensity of the blast. Instinctively her arms crossed to protect her face. She flew back and slammed into a tree, the bark splintering under her. She cried out in pain, and her eyes slammed shut. When they opened, a tear of pain was dripping down her face, along with the blood seeping down the back of her head.

"What?" She asked, but what she saw was so unreal it took her breath away. A dome of blue energy had risen in the woods about three miles away, reaching almost thirty stories into the air, parting the clouds. The intense wind was still there, and, in a mater of seconds, the dome exploded, and Sakura's scream was lost to the raging wind.

"When did he get so strong?" Kenshin thought viciously.

Both warriors were standing in the middle of the massive expanse of energy, and both were growling and yelling, attempting to hold the others power at bay. The intense power was tearing at their clothes, bodies, and at the earth around them. Then, in one single moment, the power exploded out, and both warriors' eyes went wide.

Sakura was running towards them. She didn't care if anyone tried to stop her, or if she got hurt. The only thing in her mind was to go to him and stop this insanity. Takashi was hurt. She knew it. Her heart was screaming it. She could feel his pain. This must be the feeling he was describing earlier, she registered vaguely. Tears flowed freely down her pale face. The blast had been dissipated for only seconds before she'd launched herself into the forest.

"Please… please be alive…. Don't leave me again!" She thought weakly. Sweat rolled down her thin frame in waves. Her hair was matted with it, and she could feel the dirt on her skin from the last few days, along with the blood from the injury to the back of her head, but none of this mattered to her. Something felt off. Someone was hurt. Badly… and as much as the thoughts pained her, as much guilt as they induced, she prayed it wasn't Takashi.

When they reached the area of the blast Sakura almost fainted. Her thoughts grew dizzy and her mind clouded. Her vision blurred and her footing was lost, her legs nearly giving out. Managing to maintain some composure, she sank down to her knees, her legs spread slightly, only able to stay up by the hand resting between her legs.

The devastation was unbelievable. A crater, almost eighty feet wide and forty feet deep, was ripped into the earth by the vicious blast. Trees were uprooted for almost twenty feet beyond the crater itself, ripped from the earth by the blast. Takashi and Kenshin were nowhere to be found.

"Spread out. Find them both and get them here so Sakura can heal them enough to where they can be transported back to the dojo." Inubo said darkly. Sakura barely registered them leaping off into the trees. She didn't see Naruto casting a worried glance over his shoulder at her. She didn't care. All she could think of was him.

"This is too much…" She thought, tears spilling down her face. "Why does this always happen to me?"

"WE FOUND KENSHIN!"

Sakura looked up just as Naruto came out of the woods with Kenshin on his back. He was injured. Badly. His body was covered in deep gashes, all spilling hot blood onto Naruto's back. His clothes were tattered, and most of his gi was missing. His eyes were closed, and by the slump of his shoulders, Sakura could tell he was unconscious.

"Have you found-?" She began, rising to her feet and wiping away her tears, but she was cut off.

"Sakura…"

She spun so fast her she went slightly lightheaded. Takashi was standing there, leaning heavily against a tree. His clothes were almost as ripped up as Kenshin's, but his shirt was, for the most part, intact. Blood had soaked its way through the dark fabric. Sweat was rolling of his body, matting with the blood in his hair. His sword was clutched in his hand, his knuckles white, or… what was his sword… The once magnificent blade had been damaged beyond repair, the cutting edge scared and battered. Huge chunks of the blade were missing, and almost a full foot of the blade was gone. Blood from a large, jagged slash to his right arm ran down the blade. The wound was deep, digging into the muscle.

"Takashi… you're hurt…" She choked. She moved towards him, and tried to stand from the tree, but fell back, his teeth gritted in agony as he cried out softly. A fresh wave of blood spilled from a wound under his shirt, the dark crimson liquid flowing freely down his frame. His eyes were snapped shut, and his breathing was labored.

"Seems all these wounds finally caught up with me." He said, chuckling darkly. His body tensed and his teeth gritted as a spasm of pain wracked his body. His words had been meant towards earlier, during the better part of the fight, where all he cared about was staying alive against his sensei's onslaught. He didn't even notice the many wounds Kenshin had inflicted on him during the battle. Takashi's eyes flew wide as he lost his footing.

"Be still." Sakura commanded softly, darting to his side, catching the wounded Uchiha before he could hit the ground. Another fresh wave of nausea swept through her as she felt just how much blood he'd lost on her skin. She buckled under his weight, but managed to stay up. Wrapping his uninjured arm around her shoulder, placing a hand on his arm and the other on his side to support him, she carried him off towards the field. "It'll be alright. I'll heal you, don't worry."

"K-Kenshin…" He mumbled. "Is he-?"

"He's fine." She lied.

Naruto and the others had gathered around Kenshin in a relatively flat area, and Kakashi, being mildly proficient at medical juutsu, had begun to tend to his many wound. Inubo's head snapped to the right and he took off without a second word. He'd spotted Sakura struggling across the vast amount of rubble and stone that littered the area in the aftermath of the battle while trying to hold up Takashi at the same time.

The silver haired warrior landed a few feet before them, balancing gracefully on the tip of a jagged boulder before leaping to them like it was nothing. He landed next to her and she immediately relinquished the Uchiha to him. Inubo, being much stronger than her, swung Takashi gently onto his back.

"Hang on man, we got you." He mumbled, and, ignoring Takashi's indistinct mumbling, he and Sakura launched themselves towards the others.

"How bad is it?" Sakura asked the second she touched down. She spun on her heel and hurried over, dropping to her knees.

"Not good." Kakashi said grimly. "He's cut up pretty bad, and he's lost a lot of blood." He said as his chakra enshrouded hands covered a deep wound to Kenshin's stomach. Kakashi was grimacing, and looked almost grateful as Sakura dismissed him.

She put her hair up into a high ponytail, it having come undone in the blast, and brushed her long pastel pink bangs behind her eyes. Making the seals, Sakura set to work on him. It didn't take long for the wounds to begin to close under her hands; her body steadily pumping chakra into Kenshin's torn flesh. The almost constant flow of blood was finally stemming, and he seemed to stop getting paler.

"Kakashi, take the small blue bottle of plasma pills out of my pocket and put three in his mouth. He's lost just under a quart of blood in the last few minutes alone. If he doesn't start to get more, he'll die on the spot." She barked, and Kakashi obeyed. He took the pills from her bag and placed three in Kenshin's mouth, gently rubbing his throat, forcing the unconscious warrior to swallow. "Naruto, take the rolls of bandages out of my bag and set them on a clean piece of cloth, use some of your shirt if you have to; I'll need em' in a minute."

"Yes ma'am." Naruto said, following her orders and pulling out the bandages and setting them on a torn piece of his shirt, taking care to keep them clean.

"Neji, Lee, go get as much water as you can and bring it back here, pronto." She said in a commanding tone. The other two merely nodded and dove off into the trees, canteens in hand. "Inubo, how's Takashi doing?" She called, not caring to glance over her shoulder.

"I'm fine."

Sakura nearly jumped out of her skin when he appeared next to her. His shirt was gone and most of his wounds were gone, except for the deeper ones, including the one on his shoulder. All of the remaining wounds on his frame had been wrapped in fresh, white bandages.

"How-?" She began, but he cut her off.

"When you've been in battle as long as I have, being able to heal your comrades quickly is a must." He said passively, focusing on Kenshin. She noticed him wincing, and realized he was still in pain. He must have some broken ribs from the impact, she realized. If she only knew what was really on his mind…

Inubo appeared a moment later, hovering over them. He was wiping blood from his hands, and Sakura understood. Inubo had healed Takashi's arm enough to where he could move it again and make the seals for his Dragon's Breath juutsu and he'd healed all he could reach. Still, the bandages on his body were already turning a deep scarlet, and his eyes were drooping. He wouldn't be conscious for much longer.

Sakura watched as he swept his only movable hand across his sensei's wounds. They healed instantly under his touch.

"Don't do this. YOU CAN'T DIE!" Takashi thought viciously. It had become painfully clear to him when he'd seen his sensei's eyes just before the titanic clash of energy. The look in his eyes… He'd come here fully expecting to die. He had no intention of leaving this battlefield alive.

Suddenly he felt his consciousness ebbing, and slowly, he slipped. The last thing he remembered was hearing Sakura cry out his name, and feeling her soft, yet strong arms catching him mid-fall.

Takashi awoke to the sound of thunder. He flew up in the bed; his thick, soft blankets sent flying off of him. His chest was heaving, and his eyes struggled to cope with the darkness. Another flash of lightening lit up the room with a shockingly bright, pale blue glow, followed by the earsplitting crack and booming blast of thunder that always followed.

Takashi sighed heavily, relieved. Good. He was back in his room. That was a major relief to him. His eyes flew wide and he almost screamed as white hot pain flashed through his body. He fell back onto the soft futon with a dull thud, his chest heaving as he labored for breath. He looked down at his body, only to see a sea of bandages. He'd been relieved of his shirt and pants, and he now wore a pair of black pajama bottoms. The soft cotton felt good on his skin, but he didn't care.

"Sakura?" He called softly after a while. He wasn't surprised by the lack of response. She was probably still tending to Kenshin…

Sakura stepped through the door, sighing heavily. Her body was clad only in a soaked towel, her hair up in a haphazard bun, a few strands poking out here and there. Steam still rose from her flesh after her bath, and she felt completely relaxed as she stepped into the small room.

She'd always found Takashi's room almost claustrophobically small, but when he was unconscious, and not sitting there looking at her, or simply holding her, it was eerie to her. His room definitely had a darker side to it. With no lamps, only candles and the television for light, it was depressingly dark. Still, it was better than hers. The one she'd been staying in had no television, and only a few candles. That was the room she'd stayed in during the ending days of her depression. God, if there was a place she hated more than Hitsuya itself, it was that room. She had sat awake for days in that room, staring blankly out of the window at the moon, at night, and at the birds living in the tree just next to it. When she did lower her guard enough to try and sleep, all of the pain would the return. The hole would make itself known, and the ache would settle itself in her chest. She'd cry herself to sleep and wake up screaming. No. It wasn't one of the greatest times of her life. So no matter how eerie it was, she would always prefer his room over her own.

She strode over to his dresser, on top of which were some of her clean clothes, and allowed the towel to puddle at her feet as she slipped into her tank top and shorts. She took her time with the rest of her routine, sitting down before the mirror and leisurely running the brush through her long, pastel pink hair. She sighed at the feel of a pair of strong arms wrapping around her.

"When did you wake up?" She asked, happily relinquishing the brush to his insistent hands. She sighed again as she felt the brush running gently through her hair again, along with his calloused fingers. The worn flesh formed from many years of war and death felt deceptively relaxing against her skin.

"How's Kenshin?" He asked in a dark tone.

"He'll be fine. He took one hell of a beating, though. He'll be out for a few days." She said, smiling wearily as she leaned into his chest. She jumped unnoticeably when her bare shoulders came in contact with his skin. She'd forgotten how delectably warm he was. "But you should get back to bed… your still injured…" She said, yawning, her small, pale hand covering her mouth as she exhaled.

"How long has it been since you last slept?" He asked, worried hands turning her face to check her features. She was a bit paler than usual, and she had deep, dark circles under her eyes. She smiled wearily at him.

"I think about two days…" She said, stifling another yawn. "You've been out for a while." She added. A calm silence followed her words, only split by the crashing thunder.

"I'm sorry." He whispered in her ear, and Sakura felt the emotion she'd been trying to keep buried bubbling to the surface, threatening to erupt forth. The only thing stopping her from smacking him was: one, he was sitting behind her, and two, his arms felt so good around that she didn't want him to let go. The tears she'd managed to fight back for the past few days finally burst forth and she cried silently in his arms. "I'm so sorry for putting you through this…"

"I know you had to do it…" She said quietly between sobs.

"But that doesn't mean you have to take it…"

"Takashi… I'm sorry I'm so weak…"

"You aren't weak, love… you're stronger than I am… To hold it together through all I've put you through… that is a strength I can never have… To tell you the truth… the moment I realized Kenshin didn't expect to live… that he might die because of me…" He mumbled.

"What is it, Takashi-kun?" She asked, turning slightly in his arms. Her expression was one of worry. His head was bowed, his long, dark bangs eclipsing his golden eyes from sight. His shoulders sagged and his body shook slightly.

"Sakura… If I had killed him I would have taken my own life the first chance I got…"

The smack echoed throughout the small room, and could probably be heard throughout the dojo. She smacked him so hard her hand stung and was reddened, but she didn't care. Shock, fear, and rage had all flooded her senses. She smacked him again, and he just sat there, taking his punishment. Sakura smacked him over and over. She kept hitting him until she realized it wasn't even hurting anymore. She was crying too hard to inflict pain.

"HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT?" She yelled. "HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT TO ME AFTER WHAT YOU'VE PROMISED?" She barked; her tone acidic. Takashi's eyes welled and the tears silently spilled forth. The young Uchiha hung his head in shame. "Takashi…" She said, no longer able to muster up the strength to yell at him or hit him. "Don't ever say that!"

"Do you really think I could live with myself after I killed the closest thing I've had to a father in ten years?!" Takashi growled. "After everyone I've killed?! Not a day goes by that I don't beg forgiveness for what I've done already! Do you think I'd be able to face Kaoru knowing I robbed her of her husband and Kenji of a father?!" He growled, his tone steadily rising and his eyes starting to glow. "And do you really think after all the people I've killed that this is the first time suicide has crossed my mind?! The only reason I didn't kill myself when Misa died was because people needed me!" He roared.

"What about me?" Sakura asked quietly, her head bowed. Takashi instantly regretted his words. He'd hurt her. He knew it. "I need you too." She said, falling limply into his arms. "When you left I tried to pretend it was all right… I did… I tried to keep it together… but when I heard you were dead… I went straight home and put a kunai to my wrist…" She said; her head turned so her eyes were invisible to him behind the curtain of pink. "I don't think I've ever seen so much blood in my life… I was about to slit my other wrist when Ino walked in… She grabbed the knife from my hand and bandaged it as fast as she could… She called Tsunade and she came over and healed it completely… She was so furious… I don't think she's ever beaten me so hard…"

As if on cue, a blast of thunder rocked the house. The booming blast coincided perfectly with the deep chasm her words had just ripped in Takashi's chest. Dear god… He hurt her so badly she wanted and tried to end it… Her blood was spilt needlessly on his account. Nothing he could ever do could atone for this sin… It was another burden; just another sin to settle itself on his shoulders.

Takashi couldn't stop the flow of tears from his eyes. He could stop his small cry of anguish as his heart broke over and over as the image of her sitting on her bed, tears flowing freely down her face as the blade drew through her soft, pale flesh. The image of her blood flowing so freely wouldn't leave his mind.

"Sakura…" He begged. "I can't ever atone for this…" He mumbled; his thoughts erratic. "How could I let you suffer… your blood shouldn't have been spilt over me… not for me…" He sobbed.

"That's why I can't stand the thought of you trying and succeeding! Don't make my stupid mistake! We need you Takashi! No matter whom you were or what you've done, I still love you, and I love you as you are now. I can't stand the thought of a world without you." She said, holding the sobbing Uchiha. Her long, thin, pale fingers gently stroked through his loosed hair.

"Sakura… I'm sorry…" He whispered after a while. His body had stopped shaking, and he'd been sitting there on the floor in her arms, crying softly into her shoulder for almost half an hour. "I'm so sorry…" He whispered, pulling back. His hands gently took her left wrist into his hands, and despite herself, Sakura looked away, ashamed. There it was; a small, thin, pale line going across her wrist where she'd almost undoubtedly drug the blade across, cutting as deeply as she could. It was old, and thinned, whitened by age. It was about three months old, by his guess; after all, he knew scars. Tears ran silently down his face as he drew it to him, silently, softly kissing a path down the pale line. He nuzzled her wrist, and when his eyes caught hers, Sakura felt another hole ripping its way through her heart. She knew she shouldn't have told him…

He didn't know how in the name of kami he missed the small line, but somehow he'd never noticed it. He hated himself. The self-loathing Takashi felt right now was consuming him as he broke her heartbroken gaze to once again examine her wrist. He started to silently cry again, and every particle of him, every fiber of his being demanded that he kill himself for what he'd put her through… After all… that was his plan… Once Kaitsu was defeated and her future safe, he would have ended himself… That's probably his real motive for leaving alone, though it was unconscious. All he brought was sadness and death.

"Takashi…" She whispered softly.

"I'm so sorry…" He managed to choke out. Sakura hated the look in his eyes. It was one of pure anguish and self loathing. As much as she hated to think of it, that look seemed to appear to her as much as his smile did these days. Whenever he was happy something ripped it away. Sakura wanted to vomit. "I'm so sorry…" He repeated.

This whole situation reminded Sakura of something. It reminded her of who he was. Not the murderer feared in legends. Not the warrior who saved her life over and over. He was the man she was in love with, and within was a boy ripped from his family, betrayed by his beloved older brother and thrust into war when he was so young. It reminded her that when he swore himself to her with that ring, he opened himself to her. All his memories and thoughts lay bare for her, and all that came with them. She'd forgotten that he's been through more pain than any human being can.

For the first time, Sakura felt like she truly knew Takashi Uchiha.

"Come on, Tashi-kun. Let's get to bed." She said, gently pulling the injured warrior up with her. He weakly followed her and lay down next to her on the futon. He wrapped her in that same possessive hold she loved, and looked at her. His eyes were now dry, but still held that same pain.

"Sakura… I'm so sorry… Forgive me… I never meant to…" He stammered, trying to word it correctly, but no words could suffice. "Please…" He begged, burying his head into her shoulder.

"Takashi, that was my foolishness and desperation that did that… I know no matter what I say you'll still blame yourself… so please… I forgive you… just stop torturing yourself over me." She said, nuzzling into him as their limbs intertwined.

"Thank you…" He mumbled. He leaned back, and suddenly the thing Sakura had waited for happened. His lips barely brushed hers, then claimed them passionately, yet chaste, and he kissed her senseless. Sakura moaned into the kiss as she felt his lips moving slowly against hers. They broke finally, after almost two minutes, and Sakura had to gasp quietly for breath. He laid his head above hers on the pillow, allowing her to lay her head on his arm for a pillow. He held her close, and Sakura sighed into him. "Tell me something?" He asked after a while.

"Mm? She said, unable to articulate further words. It seemed going without sleep for two days straight had taken its toll on her.

"I found a picture the other day. It had you, Naruto, and Sasuke in it when you were young. Tell me, why did you let your hair grow out again?" He asked. Sakura sighed, scowling against his chest.

"Ino made me do it. She said I looked too much like a guy… and I'm… well…. I was really self-conscious back them because I didn't have the greatest bust size in the world and… well… she played on my weaknesses to get me to grow it back out…" Sakura said, still scowling. She wanted to hit him when Takashi laughed, but the feel of the sound reverberating deep in his chest felt way too good and he was way too warm… Before she knew it she was starting to doze.

"Why did she want you to grow it out so badly?" He asked as his fingers ran through her hair. God, if he didn't stop she'd be too far gone to answer in a minute.

"Well… I'd kind of always wanted to grow it back out… I just wanted a good excuse to do it other than vanity… so I was happy to when Ino kept bugging me about it… And Tsunade-sama said I should embrace my feminine side a bit more… I was kind of worried that it would get in the way though, so I got in the habit of wearing a ponytail all the time… Why? Did you like it shorter?" She asked, growing more delirious by the second. God, she'd forgotten how addicting the feel of his bare flesh was. The warmth of their body heat intertwining was exquisite.

"No… I prefer women with long hair… I like to run my fingers through it… it's relaxing…" He mumbled, and before long, they were both slipping away.

As he fell from consciousness, Takashi could practically feel this new burden settling on his shoulders. The weight on his heart and mind only got heavier. It felt like the world was on his shoulders, and it was no new feeling. Takashi shrugged unnoticeably, allowing this new weight to settle on his shoulders, alongside his many sins…

Impossible to see or hear… the delicate frame of Takashi's heart cracked under this new strain… The tortured soul he'd buried had finally reached its limit… Now it only needs a push to be gone forever…

But there was still one central problem nagging at the back of his mind as he drifted… His sword was destroyed… damaged beyond repair… what would he do now?


End file.
